He Did Dream Of It
by lightning-senshi
Summary: Outlaw Queen AU: Regina didn't go into the tavern, but on the way back home she runs into an ROUS and is found in the midst of her attack by the infamous outlaw Robin Hood. As their relationship develops, Rumplestiltskin decides Zelena is the one to enact his Dark Curse to destroy her sister's happy ending.
1. Chapter 1

Tumblr Prompt by il-etait-une-fois-nos-reves

Regina's POV

Chapter 1

_Would it have been that hard? _She thought to herself. _To walk in and have a chance at happiness?_ A part of her urged her to return to the old tavern, face her fears, and meet her true love, but she only continued down the dirt road, alone, in the depths of the night back toward the castle, hoping no one had noticed her sudden absence. _It's not like he would notice. _She told herself bitterly. It was unfair of her, however. The king was a good man, and he cared for her, just… not in the way for which she wished to be cared. Snow, on the other hand, would raise the alarm as soon as she and her father returned from their summer palace and realized her step-mother was gone. A flare of anger coursed through her veins at the thought of the child – well young woman, seeing as her sixteenth birthday had just passed not weeks before – who had started this whole mess. The queen didn't feel quite ready to give up that hate and quest for revenge quite yet. Her magical skills were beginning to flourish with Rumplestiltskin's teaching. Although she'd been avoiding his lessons the past couple days and he'd seem pressed about something lately, Regina felt certain the time to enact the curse he'd told her about would be upon them before her first score of life came to a close. She could feel the magic surge powerfully through her blood and cause her to smile widely.

Lost in her thoughts, Regina didn't notice her sense of caution slip away, and a more tangible, dangerous beast crawl behind her in its wake. The crack of a stick sent her whirling around just in time to see an incredibly oversized rodent leap and pin her securely to the forest floor. Her breathing accelerated in panic. Would someone hear her if she screamed? Pain shot through her arm as the rodent snapped his jaws around it. Her magic wasn't responding. She released a yelp. _Keep your wits, girl_. She could her Rumple in her ear. The beast clawed across her cheek. She used her all her strength. The monster wouldn't budge. She reached out around her. Her hand came into contact with a rock. She rammed it into the rodent's head, sending it no more than couple feet away. But she could now stand. She pulled her knife from the strap of her thigh. She braced herself for another attack, but as she drew her back to strike when the leviathan pounced, a near invisible object flashed past her vision and struck the beast through the eye. She recoiled from the dying rat, fearing another might be coming for her next.

"Milady," A thickly accented voice called from the shadows. "Are you alright?" A handsome stranger emerged from the cover of the trees. His quick breaths giving the impression he'd been running through the foliage.

With the adrenaline moving at rapid speeds through her body, she hadn't given much of a thought to her condition, and while it still remained prominent in her system, whatever pain she would feel was numb to her now.

"I… I think so." She muttered, not looking the stranger in the eye.

"You think so?" He chuckled, his breath coming out in puffs of steam in the cold, night air, but his face quickly changed to concern when he noticed the left side of her face. Despite a slight flinch on her part, the man reached out and gently turned her chin to examine the scratch more closely. "Oh, milady, you won't want to go any longer without having this looked at. If it pleases you, you could come back to my camp with me. We have a man who could have this taken care of in little time, and you could be right on your way in the morning." What? Was a stranger really asking to take her back to his camp just to tend to her wounds? Yeah, right.

"Um… I think I'll just go back –"

"No, please!" He cut her off. "I insist. You'll find no harm among my Merry Men and me." His request sounded genuine, but there was no way to be sure. Regina thought intently for a moment before recalling whom he had referred to.

"Your _Merry Men_?" She asked in a way that requested for clarification. The man nodded his head. "But that would make you –"

"Robin Hood," He gave a slight bow. "At your service." Her heart began to thrum against her chest in almost a painful manner, but for what reason she was unsure. This outlaw had hung on wanted posters since before she had met the king which meant he couldn't have been more than a teenager when his thieving days started, for his appearance suggested he wasn't much older than she.

Her memory recalled tales of the thief, Robin Hood, who stole from the rich merely to give it back to the poor, told to her by locals when she lived under the iron fist of her mother. The people always talked about his unmatched courage and his unfailing heart. Even Daniel had gone doe-eyed when someone began telling stories of his endeavors. He was a savior not just amongst her people but to people all across the realm who were oppressed by their rulers. Or who _were _her people. She was a royal now. Shouldn't it be her duty to her husband to bring this outlaw in? Was it her problem that they would be suffering? _Yes. _Her battle was against Snow. These people didn't deserve her wrath.

"Milady?" He whispered, bringing her back to the present. She jumped slightly as she shook herself from her glazed-state. "Please ease my nerves and stay a night at my camp. You'll find nothing but the finest of treatments." Something about the way he spoke to her made her certain that she could go with him. Not even Leopold used such a kind whisper when he addressed her, his _wife_.

"Alright, Mr. Hood." She nodded with a smile. Embarrassingly enough, something about him just made her want to smile. "Lead the way." As they began to make way through the maze of the forest, he stopped abruptly and glanced her way.

"May I ask, Milady?" He inquired. "What is your name?" The question gave her a rather large pause. Did she want him to know of her high status? Of her power to through him into prison with a word? Not now. She just wanted to enjoy this outlaw's presence for a short time.

"Regina," She smiled. "My name is Regina."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Robin's POV

He led the women, _Regina_, deep into the forest to where he and his men had made camp a few nights before. Although Robin made sure to keep a close eye on her, she seemed able to take care of herself on her trek despite the blood still slightly pulsing from the scratch across her cheek and the thick red liquid seeping through the makeshift bandage she'd placed around the bite in her arm.

That was the wound that concerned him the most. An ROUS's bite, especially the rabid beast that had attacked Regina, could be an easy target to the infections of this part of the forest. He hoped the supplies he needed were amongst the camp, otherwise… Robin breathed deeply and exhaled his worries all at once. She would be fine.

As he looked slightly to his left, he caught her eyes in a fleeting glance before she turned away with a rosy pink tinging her cheeks. Despite the gash on her face, it was clear to Robin that she held a stunning beauty that many women would envy, and something in her easing yet confident presence told him that her soul was even more so.

"Are we getting close?" She asked as they moved through a thick, leafed veil concealing a gap amidst a large rock wall.

"Very close," He smiled. As the pair emerged from the shadow of the rock, a rush of cool air and spray of water met them. Regina's eyes widened at the sight.

"A waterfall," She gasped in amazement. Although the night was well upon them, her chocolate eyes twinkled in the water's reflection. "It's beautiful." There was a brief moment of silence as Regina absorbed the picture in front of her. "But it seems we've reached a dead end." He could see her breath quicken just slightly and her hand run over what he could only assume was a knife she must've kept concealed under her dress. He placed a hand lightly on her arm to calm her fears.

"No, Milady, it's what's behind the fall," he spoke in a gentle tone and gestured for her to follow him. She kept her good arm near the blade but followed him until the water nearly drenched them both. "Behind here," he pointed behind the rush of water where the red light of fire peeked around the rocks. Robin moved first to reassure her he wasn't planning on attacking from behind and entered into his camp. His appearance brought a few hollers from a couple merry men who were set on guard but silence the moment Regina appeared not a moment after.

"Come now, men!" Robin called. "It's not as if you've never seen a lady before. Be about your business." Motion amongst the men continued instantly like nothing had happened. Robin couldn't suppress a grin.

"I thought you were nomads," Regina laughed as she moved to his right, "But this appears to be a fairly permanent residence." With a quick once over of his camp, Robin could see exactly what she meant. Ground had been beaten away to create different sets of stairs in the uneven earth, fire pits blazed against the impending chill of the winter, and elaborate tree houses hung from the branches of old trees with bridges strung between them. This was home.

"Well what you've happened across is the home of the Merry Men. We may make our runs across the different kingdoms, but we always find our way back here. This, Milady, is Sherwood Forest," he explained, and it seemed Regina couldn't find the words to respond. Robin felt a powerful surge of pride as this stunning stranger admired his home. It reminded him of the beauty in which he was allowed to live in as an outlaw, as ironic as the statement was.

A painful yelp brought him back to the urgency which brought him home so quickly. Regina had fallen back against the rock wall, gripping her injured arm.

"Tuck!" Robin shouted to the friar as he moved toward Regina, holding her steady. The stout, balding man emerged from the nearest treehouse and, at the sight of the injured woman, quickly rushed to his leader's side.

"Robin, what –"

"ROUS," he replied quickly. "Rabid. She's bitten. Could you –"

"Get her to your room." The friar was a step ahead of his leader. "I'll have warm water and cloth brought there while I gather the appropriate herbs." Without another word, the man had disappeared into the dense foliage, leaving the Robin and Regina alone.

"Come," he tried to lend her an arm, but she did all but hiss at his gesture. _Stubborn woman, _he thought before leading her over the brush to his room carved into the base of one of the largest trees in the forest. A slightly steaming bowl of water with a cloth waving off the rim already sat ready for use at his bedside.

"Have a seat," Robin gestured to the small cot placed squarely at the back of moderate-sized treehouse. Regina did as she was told while Robin prepared a cloth. "I'm going to need to clean your wounds, Milady. Is that alright?" He asked, cautious not to push her boundaries. When she nodded in consent, Robin knelt at the bedside and pressed the damp rag to her cheek. Although she took in a sharp breath, Regina didn't pull away from his touch.

"You know," she started. "I don't mind if you just call me Regina."

"Well, Regina, then it seems you're well in your right to call me Robin." He laughed lightly in response. When she echoed, Robin tried his hardest to memorize that sound. It was like music to the outlaw.

As the blood came off, Robin couldn't help but admire this woman in front of him even more. Her skin had a look of porcelain in the candlelight, and her eyes held a bright, fierce fire that Robin didn't think he'd ever seen in another. But it was something else, too. From her encounter to in the woods to her preparedness to fight him off at the falls if his intentions weren't pure, her courage shown like blazing sun. Courage that appeared built on life experience. He hoped he would have the chance to ask one day.

"Robin!" Friar Tuck called him back from his thoughts. He stood in the doorway with a medicine pouch in one hand and what appeared to be a rather small-sized set of Merry Men's clothes in the other. "Go about your business. I need a clear space to heal her." Robin hesitated slightly at the friar's words, but when Regina nodded to him that she would be okay, he turned and left his hut.

Robin, while he'd left the room, hadn't moved but ten feet from the base of the trunk. Many of his men had either passed by with questions or passed by with skeptical looks and wide smirks, but the archer merely waved them off. He didn't need to explain himself for this, and she would be on her way soon, wouldn't she? Something whispered in his ear that he knew he didn't want her gone so soon.

"Robin," Tuck whispered. Robin shot up from the ground, as the friar came through the thin veil of leaf vines. "She'll be fine. I can see she put up quite a fight; she was asleep the moment I finished wrapping the bite." Robin placed a hand on the friar's shoulder in thanks before disappearing into his room.

Regina, as Tuck had said, was fast asleep on his cot, but it came to his attention that the friar had switched her clothes. While her dress was laid across the floor neatly, she now wore a slightly too big men's shirt with a leather belt keeping it around her slender waist and a pair of riding pants that also appeared a little loose. Her ebony locks were scattered across the pillow. As Robin made himself comfortable against the wall across the room, he couldn't help but think to himself as sleep claimed him: She was absolutely stunning.

Review?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A/N: The visual idea for Sherwood came from Kevin Costner's "Robin Hood" and the Disney version.

Regina's POV

The sound of thunder shook Regina from her dream state. When she opened her eyes, she was met with a rather unusual sight. Was the roof made of… _tree bark_? And the clothes she wore, they felt more like the riding clothes she wore at home than the garb she wore as queen. She kind of liked them, yet that didn't answer her question of _why _or _how. _As another roll of thunder pulsed through the air, the previous night's events rushed back into her memory. The tavern, the lion tattoo, the ROUS, the handsome stranger, _Robin. _She tried to sit up to get a better view of her surroundings, but the pain that flashed through her body merely allowed her to roll onto to her side to look through the leaf veil and into the camp. Rain came down in freezing sheets, drenching everything (thankfully a trench had been dug outside the hut to keep the room dry). The queen could hear Robin's Merry Men shout from tree to tree, making sure everyone was under cover and safe, but the leader himself wasn't anywhere she could see.

With a quick inhale, she pushed herself up into a sitting position and leaned against the wall, thinking. Regina felt much too weak for her liking; she knew in her state that apparition needed more effort than she could muster. She was stuck here. _Don't act like that's such a bad thing_, a little voice whispered. The queen couldn't deny that she had enjoyed the few hours spent with Robin far more than the four years spent with the king. The feeling that Robin looked at her like maybe she was worth more than just a replacement created a warm feeling in her stomach.

"Regina?" His thick accent rang through the room. "You're awake. How are you feeling?" Before she could produce any words, Regina was caught off guard by his appearance. He had clearly been out in the pouring sleet. His hair dripped on to the dirt floor, the rain shifting the locks nearly to a chocolate brown, and his light shirt clung to the lean muscles of his chest, soaked all but completely through. "Milady?" He tried to find her attention. "Are you alright?" Embarrassed at being caught staring, Regina turned away quickly, feeling the heat tinge her cheeks.

"Yes, I'm alright," she sighed. "Are your Merry Men?"

"Oh," he sounded surprised at her concern. "Yes. We've seen far worse in our years, but I'm afraid this will delay your journey home." Something in his voice didn't sound quite so regretful. That made the corners of her lips curl upwards. He sat at her hip on the edge of the bed and ran his fingers over the bandages on her arm.

"Friar Tuck asked if I would change the wrap. Do you mind?" She wasn't sure if she should have found his constant need to make sure any move he made toward her was alright chivalrous or just annoying. She wasn't glass as long as he knew her boundaries.

"By all means," she sighed, holding her arm out closer to him. His movements were slow and thoughtful like he was trying to trace every moment into his memory.

As the last of the bandage was pulled off, Regina couldn't help but think it looked worse than she remembered. Inwardly cringing, she made an effort not to react to the large, jagged teeth gashed that sliced their way across her arm. The skin around the wound was ugly shades of blue, yellow, and purple, and, for a minute, Regina wished she could find the power to close the gaping scars, but as Robin's steady hands caressed her skin and ran soothing healing herbs across the bite, she found the pain didn't seem so harsh, and maybe… she didn't mind being cared for this once.

_Are you insane?!_ The logical side of her brain screamed in her ear. _You're married to the king. You have everything any women could dream of! And who is it that's making you doubt this blessing? A criminal. You're becoming smitten with an outlaw. _It didn't surprise her that this voice sounded suspiciously like her mother, but maybe she was just being foolish. After all, didn't she have another soul mate? The man with the lion tattoo? Did that mean she couldn't find such a love with anyone else?

All coherent thoughts slipped from her mind as Robin reached to touch her face gently.

"Regina?" He whispered in concern, bringing her back to earth.

"I'm fine," she smiled in return. "Just still a bit weary." She moved back slightly when she realized how close they had become. _He is still little more than a stranger to you,_ she had to remind herself.

"It shouldn't be long before this storm passes," he stated after clearing his throat awkwardly. "And then you'll be able to return home. I hope there was no one to notice your absence." She lifted her gaze to him questioningly. His eyebrows shot up as he realized what he'd said. "Oh no, no, not like that, Milady! I mean I just hope you didn't leave anyone worried… I mean…" he faltered off when she burst into laughter. "And now you're laughing at me. Why, may I inquire, are you laughing at me?" His little, nearly pouty huffs caused Regina only laugh harder, making her sides ache. As she began to regain her composure, she started to speak while still being interrupted with small moments of laughter.

"You didn't offend me, Robin," she replied, covering her mouth to hide her embarrassingly girly giggles. "I just didn't expect the great Robin Hood to stumble for an explanation especially one to a woman." He cocked his head to the side at her words, the playful banter swept from the atmosphere.

"And is woman any less worthy of a proper explanation?" His question didn't seem mocking or angry but just innocently curious. Like the idea of a woman being treated any less than a man was a foreign concept to the archer.

"Well…" Regina struggled to find the words. "It's just how it is, I guess. I've never known it to be any different." He turned to face the doorway and contemplated on the idea with a one eyebrow quirk slightly higher than the other.

"I doubt you could handle a bow any less skillfully than most of my men if that's where the idea comes from." She almost blushed at his compliment. "But I'm sure you hope to be home by the time we have the chance to find out." His last sentence came out in a rush, and before she could respond, he stood abruptly and moved back out into the storm without another word, but not before Regina caught a glimpse of the spot on his wrist where his shirt had ridden up.

She could've sworn her heart stopped beating.

Against a solid black background, standing high in its glory and power, a roar frozen in ink, was a lion.

Oh, was she in trouble.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Useless!" Zelena fumed as she watched her _perfect _little sister evade the beast in the forest. It seemed nothing she did could disarm Regina, but she refused to give up hope. Zelena waved a hand, and the vision disappeared in smoke. She would just need something much more planned out.

As she fell back into the nearest chair, her teacher poofed into her presence with his disgusting, cocky grin on his face.

"Troubled are we, dearie?" He gestured to her disheveled state. "I thought we talked about controlling that nasty jealousy." Zelena rolled her eyes. She wasn't _jealous_.

"Not being jealous doesn't mean that I want to braid my sister's hair and chat about boys," She stated through closed eyes and gritted teeth. "I'll see her heart crushed if it is the last thing I do." Rumplestiltskin seemed to become lost in thought at her words. There was a few moments of silence before he spoke:

"Well, dearie, let's see what we can do about that."

OoOoO

Robin's POV

Robin walked amongst the camp with his face toward the sky, admiring his and his men's handy work. With their uncanny ability to climb trees combined with their vast knowledge of knots, they'd managed to create a canopy with the branches and their thick leaves, leaving the camp, not dry, but free of almost any more rainfall. Robin couldn't deny that he was pretty impressed.

He hesitated to walk back to his room. Even as Regina had fallen asleep once more, Robin still felt that awkwardness that he himself had created when he realized he didn't want Regina to leave.

Although he'd outran knights, tricked fat cats out of their money, slain monstrous beast, and faced the worst nature had to offer, the thought of facing this woman, who had lit a spark in his heart the moment he spotted her facing down a monster of her own, gave him pause as he stood right beside his doorway. Taking in a deep breath, Robin entered his home.

Regina stood adjacent to the bed, looking strangely fascinated with the dirt floor, probably lost in thought.

"Regina?" She nearly jumped as he made his presence known.

"Robin," she gasped, clearly unaware that another person had entered the hut. "What is it?" She asked.

"Well it's nearly sunset, and I doubt you've eaten in a while." His reason for asking clearly didn't process to her seeing as she just stared at him and waited for him to get to the point. "Uh, my Merry Men have food prepared in a side cave if you're hungry. They're trying to build a fire in there, too. It will be a great deal warmer than in here." Robin felt as if he was just babbling along and tried to end his statement as fast as he could. But as he trailed off, he saw there was something in Regina's eyes that screamed of confliction. About what he wasn't sure, but confliction all the same.

"Yes," she finally breathed after a while. "Yes," she stated more firmly. "Dinner sounds wonderful." Her smile warmed the room all in itself. Robin guided her out of the hut and toward their just-for-the-rain food cave.

"Oi, Robin, where'd you get off to? We've been needing your help to get this fire started," Little John hollered from the mouth of the cave, his smirk only growing when he saw Regina. "Ah," he smiled. "It's about time you introduced us to this lovely lady. I'm Little John," He bowed slightly in greeting to her. "Robin's right hand. And what may we call you?"

"Just Regina," she replied with a grin as a couple more of his men approached.

"Well, 'Just Regina', you'll find the highest of respect amongst us Merry Men," Will Scarlet reached out a hand to grasp hers and press a gentlemanly kiss to her knuckles. "I'm sure our great leader here informed you thusly." Robin felt a great weight fall from his shoulders as her watch Regina be swept away in kind greetings and smiles from his men. He hoped she felt so as well. As Will and Tuck whisked her away to the soon-to-be fire, Little John came up to his friend and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"In our eight years as thieves, since we were fifteen years old, I don't remember you ever casting a woman a second glance. When the rest of us went stupid for a girl, you were always 'Rob the rich to feed the poor! My life's purpose, and I don't need a woman to do that.' Then you'd slap us each in the back of the head and tell us to get our arses back to camp so we could get a goodnight sleep for the next day's work. And now you've broken a code you placed in yourself which strictly stated 'no women will be shown our glorious Sherwood Forest without much discussion of the subject amongst all Merry Men.' Care to explain?" _Did I really put that in the code? _Robin thought. _Must've been when we first banned together. We were just a group of teenage boys after all._

"She was hurt," Robin tried to reason, but Little John wasn't buying it.

"Oh, of course," he laughed. "That's the only reason. Well, then, you better open your eyes to what you found, my friend. She seems magnificent. A great mystery wrapped in beauty. Now if only I could find me one of those." Little John's whoops of laughter vibrated deep in his large belly as he walked to rejoin the rest of the group, leaving Robin standing against the mouth of the cave and admiring the scene before him.

Regina stood behind the men who were trying and failing to build a fire with the slightly damp foliage they had collected with a flashing smile on her lips. Leaning slightly forward and crunching her eyes shut, she seemed to become lost in a deep concentration, leaving Robin confused. But her intention came into clarity when the fire lit itself in a beautiful blaze, and the men cheered in excitement.

_A mystery wrapped in beauty_... this mystery seemed even more extravagant and complex the longer he spent in her presence. She was a sorceress. Little John words rang truth in his ears. She was magnificent.

OoOoO

As the nights festivities died along with the rain, each man began making way back to his own quarters with a smile plastered to his face. Robin like to believe it was thanks to the woman walking with him back to his room.

"So," he began. "A sorceress?" A small gasp escaped her lips, and she stopped dead in her tracks, turning to face him with wide eyes.

"How'd you know?" She asked.

"I've been with those men a long time, and they can barely light a fire using dry foliage. I figured they're sudden success was a fix," he chuckled. She sighed in relief and began to walk once again.

"So, it doesn't bother you at all?" She inquired.

"No, not particularly. I suppose no more than when you found out I was an outlaw." They laughed in unison, in harmony, but as they approached his tree, the atmosphere changed drastically. The two turned to face each other, staring intently into the other's eyes. From the moment they'd met, it'd been an like a magnet pulling them closer and closer to each other, and by the gods he didn't want to fight it now.

Her sweet breath touched his face in a gentle caress, smelling of the berry tea she had consumed not more than an hour ago. The magnet only became stronger until he could almost taste the sweet fruits themselves…

"Robin, look out!" Will called as the rope of the canopy slipped from a high branch, sending a large amount of snow upon the pair, but, thinking swiftly Regina gripped Robin's arms tight and used a small burst of magic to move them slightly to the left, allowing the snow to fall straight to the ground.

"Thank you, Mr. Scarlet," Robin acknowledged the man keeping look out from a near tree before turning back to face Regina. Her face was turned downward, but that didn't keep Robin from seeing the crimson scraping her cheeks, the wound marring its surface nearly comparable in color.

"Regina?" He breathed cautiously because for a moment she looked ready to flee into the night. He hoped the moment shared between them hadn't shaken her nerves. In honesty he had hoped she felt as thrilled by the encounter as he did. She inhaled deeply and brought her face back into his view.

"I think it might be time for me to go home."


	5. Chapter 5

.Chapter 5

Regina's POV

Regina couldn't deny there was a small twinge of disappointment raking her stomach when he agreed so quickly to see her home, but it was what needed to be done. So she changed back into the gown Robin had found her in just a couple nights before, said her goodbyes to the friar, Will, and Little John, and followed Robin back out from under the waterfall.

"Won't you be cold?" He asked in genuine concern and for good reason; the height of winter wouldn't be here before long. "There's bound to be a coat we can spare."

"No," she sighed, her breath steaming the frosted air. "I'll just apparate from here now that I've got my strength back."

"Oh, Milady," he grinned. "I doubt you ever lost it." If he could stop being so charming, she would find it a lot easier to say goodbye. The couple sat in the silence of the night, trying to make the moment last.

"Well, I guess there's no need to beat around the bush," she finally murmured, speaking to herself almost as much as she was speaking to Robin. "We part ways here."

"Will I see you again?" He said in a rush like he hadn't known the words had been sitting on the tip his tongue, itching to be spoken, but by the genuine look of… _care? _… in his pure ocean blue eyes, he didn't regret saying it. Regina felt her heart racing at what she assumed to be a dangerously fast rhythm. Did she want to see him again? The answer was obvious enough.

"Keep a watch on the road where you found me," she leaned in and whispered. "You might see me there before too long." An elated grin broke out onto the archer's face.

"Well then, Milady," he leaned even closer and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. "Goodbye for now." The air between them was electric.

"Goodbye, Mr. Hood," she smiled before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

OoOoO

Within seconds Regina found herself standing in her quarters in the king's palace, feeling an empty ache as she glanced around. Everything a woman could dream of, yet she just wished to be in a tree house or sitting around a camp fire in the freezing, winter air. This was bad. She walked to her window seat and leaned against the glass, fogging up the cold surface.

The whining of royal horses from outside her window gave her the idea that the king and his princess were just arriving home from their vacation at his winter palace, but to her surprise the raging fire of hate she felt when she ran off with Tinkerbell two nights before had dimmed to a contained blaze. The anger was still there, coursing through her veins, but suddenly the need for revenge that had fueled her to live seemed dulled to just a state of desire to be free of all this. Of everything that reminded her of what her mother had put her through. To be free to go back to _him_.

_You're married! _She scolded herself. _Unless you plan on getting a divorce, nothing can happen with him. _The door to her room squeaked open.

"Regina?" Leopold called from somewhere behind her.

"I'm here," she responded.

"We're home." It's like he couldn't find anything else to say to her but the bloody obvious.

"Mhmm," she sighed not turning away from the window.

"Are you alright?" _No, but I can't really tell you that, can I?_

"Fine," she turned and smiled, hoping he wouldn't catch sight of her wound until she healed the scar herself.

"Yes, well…um… good… uh… goodnight," he tripped over his own words before exiting her quarters. Leaning against the window once again, she sighed:

"Oh, Regina, what are you going to do?"

OoOoO

Morning light flooded the palace library. Regina walked along the shelves, running her fingers along the spines of the books, breathing in the fantastic lives each individual story created. Oh, what she wouldn't give to just jump into one and begin a whole other story, a new chapter. She didn't stop until one particular title caught her eye. On a slightly higher shelf amongst the children's tales sat _The Tales of Robin Hood_. Running for the nearest step ladder, Regina reached as much as she could, just barely able to grip the clothed spine and pull it down.

Her fingers ran through the fresh pages, catching sight of the names of the men she met a week ago. _Had it only been a week?_ A grin stretched across her skin, making her cheeks ache slightly.

"What is that?" spoke an innocent voice behind her. Regina twisted from the shelf to see Snow, dressed for the day, standing only a few feet away and leaning against the back of a chair with a curious look in her eyes.

"Just an old children's book," she shrugged stepping down from the ladder. Snow held out a hand, silently asking to look at it. Regina handed it to her.

"_The Tales of Robin Hood,_" Snow read in a theatrical tone. "Well, it mustn't be too old," she stated and handed it back to her step-mother. "From what I hear he still carries out his good deeds anywhere he goes." Her words struck Regina as odd.

"Good deeds?" Regina questioned. "How could a royal see thievery as a good deed?" Snow contemplated for a moment.

"Well, Father is such a good and generous king that Robin Hood has yet to steal from us, but even then," she shrugged. "I guess it's strange of me, but I don't think I would mind. We have this much," she gestured to the whole of the library. "Why not give our people a chance to experience something even remotely close to what we do every day." There was a long silence as the two women thought over Snow's words. "Would you read me one?" She asked, breaking the silence.

"One what?" Regina snapped, trying to feel her hate towards the girl once again.  
"One of the tales," she chuckled and pointed at the book. Before Regina even agreed, Snow made her way to a nearby chair and sat down and looked at the one across from her expectantly. Regina was baffled. Baffled at not being able to determine what baffled her. This girl was the reason Daniel was dead. The reason his heart had been crushed. _By your _mother, a voice whispered, _not by this girl. _The more she tried to think about the stable boy, the more her thoughts directed toward a certain outlaw. Her quest for revenge was based on her lack of love, but she'd just found her soul mate. What good was her revenge now?

"Alright," she gave in, taking the seat across from Snow and opening the book to the first story that grabbed her attention.

"The Fortune Tellers," she began. "On a clear day, Robin and Little John caught word of an approaching carriage carrying the despicable Prince John and quite a sum of gold, and the two bandits, for at this point in time the Merry Men consisted only of young Robin and John, were not about to let this opportunity to spread more wealth amongst the poor pass them by. So with a quick run by the local seamstress and wig master, the boys dressed themselves as two female, gypsy fortunetellers and awaited the carriage at the edge of the forest." The very image caused the two royal women to laugh aloud. _He won't hear the end of this, _Regina thought as she imagined bringing it up at their next encounter.

"As the royal transport approached, Robin and Little John made their appearance on the road, Robin with a Zodiac chart the local artist had lent him and John with a "crystal ball". 'Oh-de-lally!' Robin yelled, trying his best to sound like a women. 'Fortunetellers!'

The gypsies caught the attention of the spoiled Prince who ordered the coach to a halt, inviting the bandits in despite his advisor's warnings. Robin joined the prince in the luxury of the coach with the crystal ball while his cohort remained amongst the guards outside, trying his best to make a flirtatious impression.

The prince was oblivious to the fact that when the gypsy had him close his eyes, Robin was swiping gold into a bag placed beneath the skirts of the dress he'd squeezed into, and just out the doors Little John was having similar luck. The dumb brutes of the guard didn't notice the outlaw slipping any valuable object into various pockets concealed in his large skirt. But as they collected more and more the boys, who only had so much experience, began to feel the drag of what they carried. So with a quick dash out of sword's reach, a bow that dropped the wigs revealing the bandits' identity, and two wicked grins of accomplishment, Robin and Little John dashed into the forest, escaping into the thickness of the night." Regina closed the story book and looked up at Snow who clearly enjoyed the short tale.

"Well that is most certainly an interesting robbery tactic," she giggled, standing up and straightening her dress. "Thank you, Regina." She lightly touched her step-mother's hand before making her way out of the library and leaving Regina alone.

She gently ran her fingers over the title, laughing quietly to herself at the utter ridiculousness of what she'd read, but it was in that moment she decided that she had to do it.

She had to find Robin Hood again.

OoOoO

After she had bid her handmaid goodnight, Regina rushed to her room and quickly changed into riding clothes and a light coat. Although she wouldn't be riding, she felt that they were more suitable for the atmosphere in which she was about to breathe into again.

Closing her eyes tightly, she stirred the magic in her blood and felt her presence twist and turn, not opening her eyes again until she became stable. The leaves crunched quietly under her feet and whistled through the trees like a symphony of nature. She loved it.

As she was about to take her first step, she stopped abruptly as a cackling voice called out to her:

"Hello, Dearie."

A/N: Yeah the story in the book was most definitely from Disney's Robin Hood. I didn't come up with it. Please please please review!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you for all the positive reviews! This is my first fanfiction, so I really appreciate the feedback! Please do continue to review! **

Chapter 6

_"Hello, Dearie." _

Regina felt her blood turn to ice and her heart beat frantically. She turned around to see Rumplestiltskin standing casually in the middle of the snow-drenched road with a hideous smirk on his face.

"Where is it your off to?" he giggled. "I believe we were supposed to have a lesson tonight, but if you have another place to be…"

"Go away, Rumple," she snapped, turning and walking away.

"Not so fast!" He sneered as he reappeared right in front of her. "What do you think you're doing? I thought we had an agreement? You need me to help you ruin the little princess's happy ending."

"I don't _need _you for anything anymore!" Regina pushed him away to create as much distance between them as she could. "You unlocked the magic in me, taught me that I could hurt the people who hurt me or got in my way – and I have, Rumple, I've already hurt more than I'd care to admit – but that's just it! You have fulfilled everything you said you would, and now I'm walking away. Goodbye, Rumple."

"Alright, Regina," He snarled. "But just one more thing." Regina sighed in defeat and turned back to the scaled-man. "There will be a time very soon when you _will _need me again; you will plead my name for answers, and I _will _appear but only to remind you of this little encounter and then…" before he finished, he disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving Regina alone and breathless. Anger ripped through her eyes, blurring her vision.

"Don't count on it," she seethed to the empty road.

OoOoO

Robin's POV

The Merry Men sang in awful harmony as the drinks got to their brains, but Robin couldn't say that after a rather difficult job today he didn't enjoy the show. Even Little John's rather disturbing serenade to a bar maid brought a laugh out between his lips, but he couldn't help feeling something was missing.

"And how are you tonight, my friend?" Tuck asked as he took a seat beside his leader. Besides Robin, the friar was the only one of the group who didn't see the pleasure in drinking until all common sense slipped away, but they did find pleasure in watching their friends make utter fools of themselves.

"Feeling a little far off tonight, Tuck," he sighed and sipped at his large mug of beer.

"Because of her?" Tuck smirked, casting his friend a sideways glance. Robin nodded and muttered, "Yeah… because of her." It had been a week since Regina said goodbye at the waterfall, and he had been called out more than once for seeming distracted. It was driving him mad.

"Well, then," the friar laughed, giving Robin a slap on the back. "Go back to that road and find her! It's about time a woman caught your eye!"

"I've gone back every night, Tuck. She's not coming," he whispered. "Besides, this is just pathetic! We have a job that needs to be done. She's only a distraction."

"Oh, please," Tuck exasperated. "Don't tell me you're going back to that old excuse are you? 'The job needs to be done, so you'll ignore anything good for yourself'? One more time, Robin. Go back one more time, and if she isn't there, you can go back to being the dull spot when it comes to women." When Robin didn't respond, the friar stood and clapped his hand on the archer's shoulder. "Think about it," he smiled before walking to help carry a passed out Merry Man out of the tavern.

Robin let his head roll back and grunted in frustration, but when he closed his eyes, all he saw was her bright, confident smile, heard her deep but slightly out of tune laugh, and felt her soft skin against his lips.

Yes, he was most certainly pathetic.

He stood and ran out of the tavern.

OoOoO

It took a while to scan the near entirety of the old road, but he soon found her, walking alone and kicking up snow with each step.

"Regina!" he exclaimed, running up to her. Her face broke out in a smile when she saw him approach. They met in the middle, stopping about a foot apart, not knowing how exactly to greet each other. He took a step back and bowed quickly and awkwardly. "Milady." He grinned.

"Mr. Hood," she laughed and bowed mockingly.

"What happened to the wound the ROUS gave you?" he asked, touching her cheek gently.

"Magic," she whispered dramatically and waved her hand in front of her cheek to reveal the gashes that were beginning to scar over. "I didn't want anyone asking questions or mocking me." His fingers were gentle on her skin like she was the most precious thing.

"I think it's stunning," he breathed. "It makes you even more unique. It speaks of your courage." She didn't cover it back up.

They stood awkwardly amongst the trees for a while in an awkward silence until Regina spoke:

"Care to escort me back to your den of thieves?" she teased and began walking toward the waterfall with her hands clasped behind her back.

"Right this way," he laughed, taking off into the foliage.

OoOoO

Their meetings went on for weeks. Each consisting of stories and laughter, but each ending the same way the first had with a quick goodbye, a promise to meet again, and a gentle kiss on her forehead. But as winter came to a close, something changed…

"Women?" she laughed. "That was the first thing you could think of at this point? To dress like gypsy women?" Her laughter made her sides ache.

"Hey!" He said in mocked offense. "We were sixteen _and _it was one of our first time trying to rob somebody of such high status."

"And?" She spoke through fits of laughter.

"And nothing, I guess," he shrugged. "We were two stupid teenage boys." The air of humor began to settle, and an atmosphere of comfortable normality came in.

"How did it get started," Regina asked.

"What?" Robin replied.

"'Robin Hood: King of Thieves'. What were you before?"

"Do you mean Robin ap Brychan: Spoiled Prince of Elfael?" He sighed, leaning away from the camp fire. "I doubt you want to hear about him." His words seemed to shock Regina.

"You were… a prince?" She whispered. "What happened?"

"Prince of a far off kingdom, I had everything I could want," he began. "I was going to be king. Everything seemed perfect.

But in the dawn of my fifteenth year, a dear friend of mine, Roland, his mother and sister became deathly ill, and as he was of peasant blood, they hadn't the money to pay for a healer. I pleaded with my parents to assist them in their struggles, and while my father agreed whole heartedly, my mother wouldn't hear it. You see in my homeland the queen is the one with the power, so her 'no' was final. Roland's mother and sister died not a week later, leaving him homeless in an already struggling kingdom because of my mother's selfishness," Robin paused, choking on his words.

"In an act of desperation, he joined my kingdom's army while we were at war. He was fourteen. He didn't last the first battle. Upon the news of his death, I ran. I ran as fast and as far as I could until I found Sherwood and a kind, old man who only went by the name of Hood. He taught me the skills to survive and the skills of thievery. When he passed on, I took the name 'Hood' vowed my life's work would be to take the wealth from only those who abused it and find a way to make someone's life better. Eight years since that day, and I haven't regretted one. This is what I'll do for the rest of them." Regina stared into the fire with eyebrows furrowed.

"Wow," she breathed.

"What about you," he rushed to try and lighten the mood. "Four months, and I know little more than your name and your power." Something in her eyes changed. They flashed with… _fear?_ What was she afraid of? She stood and moved from the fire abruptly.

"It – it's almost day break; I must be off." Her words were stuttered and near shaky. Robin moved toward her and gripped her arms lightly.

"Alright," he spoke gently. She stared up at him with wide eyes, the lights of the flame still flickering in their depths. In their shared time, he didn't think he'd seen her vulnerable. But seeing it now he felt that he was falling deeper in love… wait, _what_? No, this couldn't be… _that_, could it? But then again how could it not be? Maybe it was just too soon. But having her here in the firelight, was it anything else?

He inched a little closer, moving his hands slowly to the back of her neck. Her eyes fluttered closed and her breathing evened. So close… until… Regina's eyes snapped open, a gasp escaped he lips, and then she vanished into the air in a cloud of smoke. Leaving the outlaw, in the cold. Alone.

OoOoO

Regina's POV

Regina appeared back in her quarters, panting heavily and fear beating from her heart instead of blood. Her feelings were clear to her now. She couldn't lie anymore, to herself, to Robin, to Leopold, or to Snow. There was just one thing she had to do.

Rushing from her room and down the corridors, she approached the king's bedroom and, with a flick of her wrist, opened his door. Leopold was sitting on the edge of his bed staring into the rising sun.

"You don't love me," she stated simply. "And I don't love you. And I am tired of pretending."

"I know," he sighed. "As am I. There has been word of your appearance in the local village about once a week. I was just waiting for you to approach me about it yourself." He stood and walked to the window, still not looking at her.

"You must know, Leopold, that I was never unfaithful to you."

"Of course I know, Regina," he smiled kindly. "Even though your heart belongs to another, you never betrayed your vows. And I thank you for that." Silence flooded the room for several minutes.

"I need a few days to reflect, if you would give me that time," he whispered.

"Whatever you need," she breathes in relief.

OoOoO

Robin's POV

Another bad song. Another embarrassing serenade. It was like every night was set to a never-ending loop. So this particular evening, Robin decided to engage some men in local gossip. Several men sat around a large table talking about nothing to Robin's interest until the word _queen _came up.

"I've 'eard the queen's been making her way 'round these parts recently. People say she's a real beauty." A balding, yet bearded man grunted before taking a swig of a fresh pint.

"Believe it, Billy." A young sailor giggled in a drunk haze. "I've seen her. Tall with long, black locks, brown eyes, and a body that could do wicked things to a man's heart…" He swayed from side to side as his eyes glazed over. "Nothing like that on the sea." At the particular description, Robin sat his glass down and began to speak:

"The queen?" He asked. "Anyone know what she's here for?" An over large man with one arm and a few missing teeth shook his head from across the table.

"Not a clue," he slurred. "But one can imagine she's getting' 'er weekly fix. With the king bein' old enough to be 'er father. Imagine marryin' a man whose daughter could be your sister. It's disgusting I don't care 'ow much gold he's got."

"Well if she's 'ere to get 'er fix, I'll gladly volunteer!" A man declared, falling across the table. Many men cheered in agreement.

"Oi, Horris, what was her name again?" The man barely raised his head to address his drunk buddy.

"I don't know if I 'member, Nick. I think it started with an 'R'. Ruth? Rachel?"

"Regina!" Another man cried out. Robin's heart stopped.

"That's it!" A man hollered. "Queen's name's Regina."

OoOoO

Regina's POV

Five days passed before the king summoned for her into his quarters.

"You summoned me, Leopold," she said with quick breaths and a racing heart. "Why not into the great hall?"

"This is a private matter, Regina," he sighed. "Please close the door," he asked the guards who did as they were told. "I've done a lot of thinking on the matter we discussed, and," he took in a deep breath. "I release you from your vows. You are free." The weight she'd been carrying for months lifted from her shoulders. She couldn't refrain from smiling.

"Thank you, Leopold." She whispered before apparating into the air. Free at last.

Her feet landed on the forest floor, but she felt as if she was still flying. She broke into a run along the road toward Sherwood, looking left and right for Robin. It wasn't until she approached the rock wall that she spotted him sitting up against stone.

"Robin!" She called, running toward the outlaw. "Robin, I have to tell you something!" But her words seemed to have no effect. "Robin? Robin, are you alright." She knelt down to his level. "Robin?"

"Hello, Your Majesty."

**PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW! THEY MAKE ME SMILE! And ap Brychan and Elfael came from Stephen R Lawhead's **_**Hood, **_**not mine.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Regina's POV

_"Hello, Your Majesty." _

Regina felt as if all time had stopped, suspended in the air and beaming with the potential energy to just go straight downhill. She should have known that word of her presence would get around sooner or later, but she had come to explain everything to him, explain that she could feel for him what she felt and not be plagued with fear or guilt.

But could it all end so fast?

They stood together, eyes locking.

"Robin…"What could she say?

"The bloody queen," he muttered, running an agitated hand through his hair. His eyes struggles between hurt and anger. For a moment she hoped the hurt would win out, but then she realized she would have no idea how to fix the hurt. In all her life, she'd never had to soothe someone truly hurting, but she knew very, very well what she had to do to deal with anger: she had to fight _back_ with anger. How to deal with the hurt…

"Why?" The word was laced with utter confusion. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Robin, I –"

"Was this a mission for your _husband_? Are you hear to take me in?" He laughed, raising his hand in mock surrender. "Because, gods know, you're eight years late." His complete idiocy fueled her worry to anger.

"Who do you think you are?" She seethed. "I'm come here to tell you the truth, and you don't let me have a word!"

"Because you didn't have another chance?" It's like he realized anger wouldn't have the effect sheer hurt would because his face fell and the ice melted to water in his eyes. "That's what you were afraid of this whole time, wasn't it? Me discovering who you really are? That's why you ran. But why were you afraid? If everything that happened was real, then why? Regina, why were you afraid?"

"Because you wouldn't understand!" She cried. "If I had told you the story from the beginning, you would've realized the monster I was becoming before I met you. I've killed people, Robin, innocent people, in attempt to quench a thirst for revenge that has become meaningless now! I'm sorry, but you wouldn't understand the horrors of living for hate. So it's up to you decide if you still want me now." Tears were being spilled as the truth splattered as crimson as blood across the white snow, staining its purity. It scratched like nails along the duo's ears, but it needed to be said.

"I need some time, Regina," he admitted. "To think. To… try and understand." Regina backed away but stood tall.

"Alright," she agreed. "But just so you know, it's not 'your majesty' anymore. Leopold released me from my vows because he could see my heart simply belonged to another. I've no home, so if you think I'm worth a second chance, I'll be at the inn above the tavern." With that she vanished.

OoOoO

There was no stop at the tavern the next night per Robin's request, so the Merry Men returned to Sherwood Forest as the sun fell behind the trees. The fire pits were lit, and even the lack of alcohol couldn't keep the outlaws from chanting and dancing around the infernos. But Robin had declined any invitation to join and bid the men goodnight.

He laid across his cot, staring at the ceiling and trying to figure out _what _on _earth _he was supposed to do. He wanted to blame her for toying with his heart, but he knew that's the complete opposite of what she had done. She had felt and reciprocated his affections to such a point that she dropped her life as queen to make a life amongst outlaws.

He suddenly understood why he'd avoided women for twenty-three years.

"You ready to talk?" Tuck asked as he entered Robin's room without invitation.

"Who is it?" Robin called. "Oh, hello, dear friar. Please, do come in." Tuck rolled his eyes.

"I wouldn't need to barge in if you would just be willing to discuss you're problems." The friar explained, throwing the archer's legs off the bed and taking a seat.

"There is no problem, Tuck," Robin sighed, plucking at the strings of his dear bow like a musician to his harp.

"Oh, no, of course not," the friar nodded in head in feigning agreement. "It's just the first woman you've ever fallen in love with –"

"Now, I never said I was in love with her, Tuck!" Robin sat up and faced his friend. "She _lied _to me. Every night she said goodbye to me; she was turning around and going back to her _husband _in her _palace_! Am I supposed to just be okay with this?"

"No, Robin," he sighed. "No one would expect you to just be okay with this, but fear does crazy things to people, and I think it would be in both of your best interest if you got off your arse, went to her, and had her tell you her side. For goodness sake, Robin, she gave up her home for you. That is the least you owe her." With that the friar stood and walked from the hut.

Dwelling on Tuck's words for not more than a moment, Robin stood, grabbed his quiver, and ran from the camp.

OoOoO

Most of the lights in the tavern had blown out in the cold, February air by the time Robin approached the old wooden doors.

"Mr. Hood," the old inn keeper greeted. "What brings you here at this late hour?"

"A woman should have come by here asking for a room. Any chance you could tell me where she's staying?" The old man nodded in understanding.

"Never seen such a beauty," he smiled, but in an admiring way, lacking the lust-filled eyes Robin had seen amongst the men the day before. "You're a lucky one, Mr. Hood. She's in the last room on the left." Robin thanked the keeper before sprinting up the stairs and to the last room. He regained his composure in a deep breath and knocked on the door. Regina opened the door slowly.

"If you're here to give a lecture on the wrongs of lying, I have to say I'm really not interested," she sighed, shaking her head.

"Regina, please," he pleaded, placing a hand on the door to keep her from closing it. "I'm here to listen." She leaned her head against the door frame for a second before giving in.

"Come in."

OoOoO

As he listened to her story and watched as her expression change from utter happiness to uncontrollable sadness to raw anger, the lies, however hurtful, began to make sense. The mental abuse by her mother, the tale of the stable boy, the forced marriage, her manipulative magic teacher, and her mother's exile through the looking glass had weighed her down at their own time for her entire life. Baggage like that was meant to be carried by two, and Robin knew as he stroked away the few tears that escaped their chestnut cages that _he _would be the one to try and help her lighten the load.

"You have to understand, Robin," she whispered. "I'll never be free. I've done too many bad things and had too many bad things done to me. If certain people found out what has or will become of me, you could be in danger. The men could be in danger. I didn't want to place that on you." She leaned into him from across the large bed, too tired to over think their intertwined hands, resting on his knee.

"What _will _become of you?" Robin questioned, hoping she would catch his meaning. Regina pulled away from the outlaw with furrowed eyebrows. There was the magnet again, pulling them together, but this time neither fought it. Regina reached up to caress the scruffy skin of jawline before dragging their lips together in a sweet, promising kiss.

**AYE! KISSES! PRESS THAT LOVELY BLUE BUTTON WITH THE R-E-V-I-E-W ON IT AND THERE WILL BE MORE! (okay there'll be more anyway but please review ****)**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Regina's POV

After their kiss in the last room of the inn, Robin didn't hesitate to whisk her back to Sherwood, and Regina couldn't say she minded. The men lit with excitement when they saw who their leader had returned with. She was swept into the festivities that had continued thus far into the night and quickly engaged herself in them, singing and dancing and celebrating. She deserved to celebrate. She was free.

As the moon began to fall, the fires lost their intensity, calling the impromptu welcoming party to a close. Friar Tuck showed Regina to a vacated tree house where she was welcome to make residence before quickly hustling away as to give the new couple some privacy.

"Has any one told you that you're as dull as a rock when it comes to celebrating," she teased and rested her head against his broad shoulders.

"Yes, actually," he stated matter-of-factly. "I've heard that quite a lot. But I hope you'll be find I can be more exciting in other ways." Regina bunched the fabric of his shirt in her fist and crashed their lips together, sighing into his mouth. Robin responded quickly, gripping her waist tightly and running his tongue along the seam of her lips. Their kiss in the tavern had been soft and experimental, but now they weren't holding back. They dove head first into each other, with tongues dancing and bodies molding. Regina bit down gently on Robin's lower lip before pulling back, not wanting to get carried away. She stared up at him through thick lashes with a small laugh on her lips.

"Goodnight," she smiled, pressing one more, quick kiss to his swollen lips and dashing into her new home.

OoOoO

Regina woke as the sun just began to pour light over the horizon, seeping through the leaf veil. She stood from her bed and stretched before walking out into the open air. It seemed only the friar was awake at the early hour.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," Friar Tuck grinned over the fire he was trying to spark.

"Good morning, Friar Tuck, but it's no longer 'your majesty'. I guess we're back to 'just Regina'," she joked as she sat on a log across from the church man.

"Well then, 'just Regina', if we're dropping the formalities, I am nothing other than Tuck because technically I am no longer a friar." When Regina tilted her head in confusion, he continued. "You see, I was expelled from the church for a lack of respect for authority. Otherwise, why do think I would be running around with a ragtag band of outlaws?" His belly-laugh echoed throughout the camp. "They just insist on calling me 'friar'." He bent back over the log pile, spinning a smaller branch between his hands with little success. Regina leaned over and stopped his action.

"Allow me," she smiled before flicking her hand and watching the logs go ablaze. Tuck's eyes widened in awe. "Sorcery," he whispered. "Fantastic."

"Well, dear friar," Robin called from a few yards away. "It seems you've managed to start your very first fire." His hair was ruffled and voice thick from sleep, stretching widely as he approached the two.

"No, my friend," Tuck sighed and placed some water over the fire for his tea. "That day has yet to come. Our fire is thanks to our resident sorceress. I tell you, Robin, she becomes more and more magnificent as the days go by."

"I'm very well aware," Robin smiled down at her, causing her cheeks to flush with color. "But make you're tea quickly, friar, we have business to attend today. Word is King George has plans to pass rather close by to visit King Midas, and from what we know of George, he'll be traveling _well._" The name King George made Regina cringe. She had met him only once before, but his as well as his son's utter rude and arrogant nature repulsed her.

"At what time?" The friar asked.

"He'll be passing Willow's Road as the sun begins to fall. We'll cross him there, so we mustn't ride out later than sun high." Robin replied, taking his seat beside Regina.

"Then wake the men, Robin. We'll have to stop by the Lucas farm to acquire horses." Robin nodded in agreement and turned to face the tree houses. There was a moment of silence before a beautiful bird's song escaped Robin's lips. Despite its gentle tones, the music rang loudly and roused the men quickly from their beds.

"Late nights, early mornings, by God, Robin, do you ever _sleep_?" Little John yawned as walked down to the fire.

"We'll sleep when we're dead, Little John, and there are people who won't have to wait that much longer if we don't get this job done." Robin's unfailing nobility reminded Regina of the privilege she had to love him and be the one he loved.

"Touché, my friend," Will Scarlet spoke to Robin but grinned wickedly at Little John who gave him a slap on the back of the head. "Hush up, Scarlet. You can snark at me when you can _hit _a target." John retorted, causing an echoed laughter and a red Scarlet.

"Eat your breakfast, men." Robin ordered. "Then load your quivers. We leave for the Lucas farm at Sun high." The men cheered together before scattering to find food. "Little John, Will, Tuck, James, and Roger come with me." He gestured to a nearby cave. "You can come, too, love," he whispered in her ear.

** Robin's POV**

The group congregated together to plan their strategy.

"We all know that while King George travels well he also travels well-_guarded_," Robin began. "So we'll need everyone armed and positioned before the pass happens, but more than that we'll need to give them something to focus on rather than just protecting the king. Any ideas?" No one spoke for a moment as they all contemplated.

"Well we have someone with the harnessed power of magic now," Tuck stated. "We might want to take advantage of that." At his words, all eyes turned to Regina whose strong face didn't waver. A moment passed where all in the cave processed what had been revealed before everyone began talking at once.

"Robin, if we have this power now, why risk imprisonment if she could pop in and out with the gold in the blink of an eye?" Roger questioned. But his statement only infuriated his leader.

"Roger, why do you think we do what we do?" Robin snapped but tried to channel his anger correctly. "We're not just thieves who do what they do for the thrill of it. This is an art, a lifestyle, one we do for the greater good, and any fat cat that is neutralized by us is going to know that. We won't become cowards. We won't hide. And I would request you not bring it up again." The silence was awkward and deafening, but Robin didn't regret his words. He had no doubt Regina could hold her own against the king's guards, but his words were true. He wouldn't hide.

"What if we disabled the carriage?" Little John suggested. "Not drastically, but enough to draw the guards attention for the right amount of time for us to move in." It made enough sense, but the question of _how _was where the real thinking came in.

"And how would we do that without giving us away," Robin asked before Regina stepped in.

"If you wouldn't mind a _little _magical assistance, Robin. I think this is where I could be of use." She waved her hand over the ground before flicking it upward, causing a hole to appear in the rock at their feet. "You think that would stop a carriage?" She smirked innocently. Everyone grinned toward Robin who just rolled his eyes not being able to suppress his own.

"Yes," he sighed. "Yes, that might work."

OoOoO

Regina's POV

It wasn't long after their meeting dispersed that the men prepared to make way to the Lucas farm. Robin pulled Regina aside.

"Milady, I hope I didn't offend you when I jumped in when Roger suggested we use your power. I know of your strength; I just didn't want you think –" Regina cut him off with her lips on his in attempt to make him forget the point he was trying to make. She figured it had worked when he ran his hand down her long braid and brought it over her shoulder. Having made _her _point, she pushed him away and smiled.

"Oh, Robin," she teased. "Get _over_ yourself." Giving him one more swift kiss, she walked toward the camp's entrance. "Come on, outlaw. Let's go make a thief out of me."

OoOoO

"Who is she?" Granny, as she insisted they call her, smirked at Regina who was in the process of making friends with Red, the widow's granddaughter. When Robin blushed and stumbled over the right words, Granny smiled knowingly. "Robin, it's about time you found someone; don't be so embarrassed." She walked over to the rest of the men who were hogging down on the lunch she'd prepared for them. "Alright, men, off your arses! Clean up your mess while I go prepare the horses."

"Yes, ma'am," the group of grown men said begrudgingly like she was their mother.

"And if you need any assistance," she spoke to Robin once again. "Don't be afraid to holler." She patted the crossbow she shot in a manner comparable to Robin and his bow. He couldn't help but laugh.

OoOoO

Regina's POV

The sun had reached its peak in the sky and was just waiting to fall back into the arms of his western mountains. All the men were positioned amongst the trees and some in the trees as well, awaiting anxiously for the approach of the royal carriage. This was clearly a new strategy for them, using magic, and it showed in their itchy fingers and furrowed brows. Regina crouched high in a tree with a hood shading her eyes.

A whine alerted the band of the coach. Regina breathed deeply and softened her body, not wanting tension to disrupt her thoughts. The whistle of a bird song brought her eyes to the ground where Robin and Little John stood back and to the left. He looked up at her with confident eyes, silently asking if she was ready. Nodding quickly, she turned her focus back on the flow pulsing through her body the pulse of magic that beat from her heart to her brain and down to her fingertips.

Robin hadn't been joking when he warned them of the king's guard. Five in the front and six in the back. She couldn't screw this up.

Amongst the riders in the back sat who she recognized to be the prince. She found it strange he didn't ride in the luxury of the coach with his father, but that wasn't all that caught her as strange. When she'd met Prince James, he'd scoffed at her, saying she wasn't true royalty because of her lower class blood. He'd been shrewd and self-righteous, but this young man looked humble with wide, kind eyes and his lips permanently tilted ever so slightly upward in a smile. It's almost as if he wasn't the same person…

Robin's whistle told her it was time for the action to begin. She closed her eyes and breathed. With a flick of her wrist the ground shifted beneath the carriage and caused the wheel to jam into a hole. The guards hopped from their horses to inspect the damage, leaving the king without an attentive guard.

"By the gods, why didn't anyone see it before?" the king hollered at the knights. But before any could speak in defense, an arrow caught the carriage not an inch away from his majesty's face. The Merry Men all stepped out from behind the trees and had their bows drawn before the first knight could draw his sword.

"Oh, Little John, if it isn't our old friend, King George," Robin laughed as he swaggered into the king's sight.

"It's been too long, Your Majesty," Little John bowed in mock respect.

"Robin Hood," the king seethed.

"Oh, now why would you say it like that?" He asked innocently. "All we're looking for is the gold you've robbed your poor of, but if you're not up for sharing, we could have our archers end the lives of your guard so we can take it without having to worry about trouble."

As Regina watched from above, her footing slipped and she was threatened with falling. Thinking quickly she pulled a branch down with a wave of her hand and yanked herself back up. But when she looked back down, the prince was staring at her with wide eyes. She felt like she would be better off falling then and there until the prince nodded and turned back to watch his father be robbed.

_What in the world, _she thought.

"May the devil drag you under, Hood," he growled.

"Come now," he said, stepping past the king and into the coach. "There's no need to be like that."

OoOoO

Snow's POV

It had only been two months since her step-mother's abrupt departure, and once again her father was off hunting for a new queen. He claimed it was because she needed a mother figure, but she knew it was all lies, even if she knew not what they were for.

The library was warming up now that spring had arrived, so she ventured down into its magical atmosphere and grabbed her most recent favorite book from the shelf. After Regina had read her the tale of the fortunetellers, Snow found she couldn't stop reading _The Tales of Robin Hood. _His adventures made the princess wish for more, wish for a life beyond dull balls and rude princes, but her father needed her.

When she flipped to the back of the book, she noticed a thirtieth chapter had seemed to appear overnight. As she began to read, she noticed a new addition to the Merry Men… a woman. A sorceress to be exact who used her magic to assist the band of rogues in their endeavors. This new chapter fascinated her, as did the prince of the unnamed kingdom who didn't warn his father of the attack when he saw the woman in the tree. Snow wasn't sure why, but this prince captivated her, making her hope she would meet him one day if these tales were true. Maybe someday…

"Princess Snow," her handmaid called. "You're father has returned home with a surprise." If the surprise was a new step-mother, she couldn't care less. There were two women Snow would ever want to call her mother: her mother and Regina. No one else could fit into that space in her heart.

"Snow?" Her father tried to get her attention from the grand library doors. "There's someone here I would like you to meet." She placed the book in her lap with a skeptical look on her face. Her father opened the door a little wider for someone else to walk in.

She was tall, pale, and had a large pile of hay-colored hair stacked on top of her head.

"Hello, Snow," she greeted. "I'm Zelena."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Zelena's POV

"How comes our plan, dearie?" Rumplestiltskin asked as he came into appearance behind Zelena.

"The man's an oaf," she growled as she fixed her dress. "And his daughter's a brat."

"Well, if I understand right, it seems your sister became quite fond of the girl over the course of time," Rumple pointed out.

"All the more reason to get rid of her when I kill the king. Something tells me none of this will be completely mine until all three are harmless and in the ground," she sighed, sitting on the edge of her large bed.

"I like the way you think," he whispered in her ear before beginning to massage the witch's shoulders.

"I've known the man for four months, and we've been married for three and a half of them," the new queen groaned. "How long does a girl have to wait before she can slaughter her husband and step-daughter?"

"Just a bit longer," he said in a sing-song voice. "In the meantime, you'll need to plant this," he pulled an old oil lamp from the air. "Where your dear husband can find it. I believe you will find what's inside of this will take care of your problem." Zelena's eyes widen in excitement, and she grabbed the lamp greedily.

"This will take care of Leopold and Snow," she questioned, looking over her shoulder at the Dark One.

"Well," he dead-panned. "It will take care of the king. The brat's up to you," he giggled before vanishing. Zelena rolled her eyes and observed the lamp. It appeared to her that something was written on the side but must have become difficult to distinguish over the years. She blew hot air on the gold before rubbing her palm against its surface, but when the lamp began to smoke, she threw it on the ground.

"Don't be alarmed," a voice called. "I'm only a genie." Zelena whipped around to see a man in ridiculous clothing sitting on her bed in a meditation stance. _A genie,_ she thought with a grin. _Excellent. _

"We have a lot of work to do."

Robin's POV

Another escapade, but it felt more like a stakeout.

Their victim was late. And he was bored. To keep him occupied he kept glancing up at Regina who was stationed in her usual spot in a high branch, much too far from him for his taste. She would roll her eyes then punch him if he ever told her that.

After her invaluable performance at her first robbery, not one job was established without Regina being thrown in for the essential roles the men couldn't preform. Unfortunately for Robin that role now habitually consisted of using dashes of magic from twenty-five feet above.

The moon had reached his highest peak and the stars were shining their brightest before Regina called the men to ready positions with her bird song. They lifted their hoods up and jumped into a standing position. The coach creaked and cracked with more knights than they had men covering every angle over the lumpy road Regina had mustered and finally came to a stop so the route could be assessed. Before Robin could signal his men, a branch to his left snapped. A man was sent tumbling to the ground. There cover was blown.

"Ambush!" A knight yelled, drawing his sword. Robin loaded his bow and began taking out royal guards, but as they began pushing closer, Robin was forced lose the bow and engage in hand-to-hand with a man with a sword. After the long day, he was exhausted and wouldn't hold out against a knight for much longer. In the corner of his eye, he saw a sword reflect the moonlight as it was lifted into the air but was not quick enough to react.

"Robin!" Regina yelled, and a burst of magic pulsed through the air. Robin turned to find his attacker across the road in a heap. Regina leapt from the tree and ran to his side. The pair looked around. They were fighting a losing battle.

Regina closed her eyes, and one by one the knights began to freeze where they stood. The raw energy she produced was almost tangible.

"Run!" she commanded, releasing her mind hold. The men made flight into the darkness and left a confused royal party behind.

OoOoO

Snow's POV

Another day hiding away in the only section of the library that the sun touched anymore. Zelena had requested the windows be closed, but Snow had found that the sun peaked through even so. How cliché.

Zelena wasn't _awful… _but some of the things she said or did warned Snow away from her new step-mother similar to the way Regina had been at times in the first few months, but there was _something _different. It scared Snow. That's why she hid in the library with her nose buried in the next story of _The_ _Tales of Robin Hood _which seemed to appear each night, making the book thicker and thicker. But this time something was wrong. This story ended abruptly. In the middle of the sentence.

_The knight approached Robin from behind with his sword lifted. The sorceress called out to him but…_

_Of all places to cut off a sentence, _Snow thought, running her fingers over the back cover to make sure she didn't miss a page. When nothing appeared, Snow closed the book with a sigh and turned her face to the sunlight.

"Princess Snow?" A maid called. Snow hid the book in the cushions of her chair and walked to greet the maid but stopped when she saw the look on the girl's face.

"What's wrong?" The princess questioned

"It's the king," she choked. "The king is dead."

OoOoO

Robin's POV

The moon had begun its descent from the sky by the time he, Regina, and the Merry Men made it back to Granny's, a place for them to make camp for the night before heading back to Sherwood.

Everyone was exhausted from the day's work, but none looked more so than Regina which worried him. Not only did she look physically tired, but something in her eyes screamed of fatigue from dreadful amounts of worry.

"Regina?" He approached her as she brushed down her mare. "Are you alright?"

"No…" she whispered, leaning into the horse. "I'm terrified, Robin."

"Of what, love?" He placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned his forehead into her hair.

"Magic," her voice shook. "If they assume I used magic, they can use another magician to trace it. Trace it back to me. To us. And if they find me, there are people who are waiting to hurt me. And if they… and if they want to hurt me, then you're in danger and all the men are in danger. Robin, I can't lose you. I can't –" Robin couldn't think of another way to make her stop talking then slamming her lips to his in a passionate, meaningful kiss. Each kiss they shared was like a breath of fresh air. Like two pieces of an ancient artifact fitted together after centuries of separation. Kisses like these exchanged more truth between the two than could ever be spoken, but she was right. She couldn't lose him, and he couldn't lose her. There wasn't a better moment to prove it than now… he just hoped it wasn't too soon…

"Regina," he breathed against her ruby lips. "I wish I could do this in a better way, in a better place, but I fear that time will never come for us. I fear that I will never be able to offer you a life of security or more than a home amongst outlaws, but, Regina, I'll try my best… and…" he nervousness made his words tremble. The King of Thieves, once again, thrown off by a beautiful woman. "I don't care what forces you believe will find you because I _will_ fight them off until you are safe. You needn't worry, Regina, my love, because I love you too much to worry about anything coming between us. And… well what I'm trying to say is… Regina, _my_ queen, I want to marry you… if you would have me."

OoOoO

Snow's POV

Her father's funeral had confirmed her suspicions of her step-mother… as had the pastries waiting with a grievance note from "the royal chef" on her bed when she returned upstairs. Snow had told her hand maid to take what she wanted of the treats, but after the girl had taken a bite, it hadn't take long for her to drop to the floor without a pulse. Leaving the princess shocked, she ran to the plate and picked up a biscuit. Snow could basically smell their poison. She picked up the note and seethed in anger, wishing she had paid more attention. _The chef _always_ wrote his notes with blue ink and addressed, Zelena. It would do you well next time to do your research. _ With a change of clothes, a small pack of provisions, and a last look at the kingdom that was about to fall to ruin, Snow made her escape into the October night.

**AAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEE! YAY! WEDDINGS! I LOVE WEDDINGS! DRINKS ALL AROUND! LEAVE A REVIEW OR MESSAGE ME ON HOW YOU THINK THE WEDDING SHOULD GO! ****But seriously I would really like to get to 40 reviews before I post the next chapter to make sure you guys are still into this! So leave a review!**


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! Here's the wedding! Enjoy!

Chapter 10

Regina's POV

"_I want to marry you… if you would have me."_

Regina had no idea what to think. Well she had every idea what to think, but the words weren't really coming out. She was just afraid because something _wonderful _was happening to her and past records indicate it wouldn't last. She feared the warnings Rumple had given her that night in the forest. And from her knowledge of her former teacher, Regina knew he had been withholding more than he said. A feeling in her gut told her that what was coming was worse than her mother. Cora had ruined too many chances for Regina to be happy. _But this is your _soul mate, she thought. _Take _this _chance._

"Oh, Robin," she whispered in his ear, her nail lightly scratching at the back of his neck. His muscles were tense. She chuckled when she realized just how nervous he was. "If I wanted a life a security, I wouldn't have fallen in love with an outlaw." At her response, he pushed her against the door of the stable, and the two met in the middle in a fervent kiss. Sometimes he kissed her in the softest of ways but now was anything but. This was a passionate battle. Each one trying to one up the other. Seeing who would back down first.

Robin's hands ran up and down her sides while Regina's fingers pulled at his arms, trying to bring him impossibly closer. She bit down on his lower lip, and he growled into her mouth in response, gripping her hips with an almost bruising power.

When Regina's horse whined at the thought of being ignored any longer, the couple was forced to pull apart before either surrendered, panting and smiling.

"Save it for the wedding night," her voice was thick in his ear. He grinned wickedly before she pushed him away and back towards Granny's house. "Granny would have our heads if she even thought you were being anything less then a gentleman with me." Her words made a blush touch Robin's cheek.

"Regina, you know I would never… I mean not yet…" Regina couldn't suppress her laugh.

"I know, Robin," she laughed, kissing him quickly one more time before sending him back toward the main house.

OoOoO

Celebration erupted at the news of the engagement, and the questions soon followed. The most frequent one being when it would happen. Robin looked down at Regina.

"Whenever suits you," he whispered. The thought of waiting any longer than necessary made her cringe. Besides, what would they be waiting for?

"I can do right now," she smiled, earning a cheer from the group. "I had the experience of an extravagant wedding once, and I didn't find the appeal. So why not now?" The idea found popularity amongst the crowd, but their forgotten exhaustion made them second guess the plan.

"Sleep tonight. Wedding tomorrow," Granny yawned and ushered the men toward their rooms.

"Wedding tomorrow," Regina sighed, leaning into her fiance. Robin smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

"Still seems too far," he mumbled into her hair.

"Way to be cheesy, outlaw," she laughed, melting further into his strong embrace. The couple stood there in the moonlight just taking in each other for a few blissful moments before Regina began to yawn.

"I think you need some sleep," he chuckles, letting his hands frame her face before falling to his sides.

"Until tomorrow, my thief," she murmured into his lips before pulling away.

"Until then, my queen."

OoOoO

Granny, with Red and some Merry Men's help, had done an astounding job of pulling together a small, lovely wedding set in the hours they had. Branches were intricately twined together to form an arch for the bride and groom to stand under with flowers and vines woven in, stable benches were set in rows for all the men to sit in, and freshly fallen snow blanketed the ground. As Regina looked upon it, she couldn't imagine anything more perfect.

"_Please _tell me you're not wearing the outfit you committed a robbery in to your wedding?" Red asked from behind her with a disapproving look on her face and hands on her hips.

"Why would I wear anything else?" she laughed. "It's not like I have much else. And, besides, I'm not a fan of dresses." The girls stood in silence, taking in the snowy set.

"I'm so glad you're finally getting this, Regina. After all the stories you told me, it's clear that you deserve it," Red smiled to her friend, and Regina couldn't help but smile back. Granny had told Regina of Red's "condition", and she figured the younger girl hadn't many female friends, or many friends at all for that matter, due to it, so Regina had taken it on herself to befriend the werewolf.

"Red, you deserve it just as much as I do. Just wait until the right man comes." At her words, Red bit her lip and smiled at the ground, her cheeks flushing. "Red?" she asked. "Who is he?"

"You can't tell Granny," she said seriously. Regina juggled with the idea for a moment before nodding. "His name's Peter. He works for a farm not to far from here." Regina knew of the consequences that could come from keeping this secret or either secret about Red, but something in the girl's eyes made her think twice. Before she could open her mouth to respond, Granny called from the house:

"You 'bout ready, girl?" Regina nodded. "Well then let's get this show on the road!" All the men emerged from the house in a wave with Robin following at the back with a clear mission to avoid Regina's eyes and a blissful grin kept at bay with a tug of his teeth. Why did he have to be so darn _attractive? _

Tuck gestured for her to join him and Robin under the arch. Red gave her hand a squeeze before pushing her forward. Blushing profusely, Regina made her way down the center isle. When she reached her fiance, she took his hands and he finally looked at her, and the amount of passionate love that flooded his eyes nearly swept her away. She only hoped he saw the same because nothing _nothing _for her could compare to this. What she and Robin held between them was something not many people had found or will ever find. They had found their soul mate.

"I won't start this off like any other ceremony because from my own eyes I have seen that this is not like any other love," Tuck began. "And no one could talk better about that love than these two, so I'll let them do most of the talking. Um, Robin, do you have anything you would like to say to Regina?" Robin seemed to be snapped out of a Regina-centered daze when the friar said his name.

"Oh, yes… um… Regina… there was a time in my life when I thought women would distract me from my life of making the lives of those less fortunate better, but when you came, I figured out that you made me the best that I've ever been because you have been strong so much longer than I've been good. And I don't want to imagine a life where you never came because that life is cold and dark and lonely. You offered an adventure, a ride that I'd been afraid to take alone, but now I never want this adventure to end because neither of us would do well with such a mundane existence. And when the monsters come to find us, because we both have our own monsters to face, I pray that we will fight them off side by side. Never will there be a day I don't want you, not even after this life ends because I will find you in the next, and now I feel like I'm rambling and spitting out cliches, so Regina I only want you to know that I love you. I love you so much, and I am more than ready to be your husband." It wasn't until his words ended that Regina realized there were tears silently falling down her cheeks. She had never loved or felt loved so much, and Robin needed to know of the depths of her love. So now was the time to tell him.

"Robin," she breathed hardly anymore than a whisper. "I am no good at composing beautiful words on my own, so I'm going to tell a story.

There was a time I had been forced into a loveless marriage, and I wanted nothing more than to be free of it. My heart was weighted down with hate and desperation. Hate for those who'd ruined my first chance at love, and desperation for a second chance. Yet I didn't believe I could have it. Not until a fairy came to me and told me it was possible I could love again, and she led me to this tavern, to a man she said I was destined to be with. Once I was there the fear that told me love would never last warned me away before I went in. I didn't see the man's face, but…" Regina reached for Robin's right hand and pushed his sleeve up slightly, running her finger over the black ink. "I did see his tattoo." Robin's eyes widened. "It wasn't until after I had fallen in love with a stranger who had saved me in more ways than one that the tattoo made its appearance again. And It wasn't some magical epiphany when I realized who it belonged to. It more like a dawning realization because when I saw it, I simply _knew, _I knewthat it couldn't have ever been anyone else. You're my soul mate, Robin, and my life wouldn't make sense with anyone else." There was a moment of silence as everyone took in what they heard, Robin especially.

"Well," Tuck spoke again. "Do we have rings?" Robin nodded and pulled from a pocket a beautiful, simple silver band with a single black diamond sitting peacefully on top.

"Regina, with this ring I bind my body, soul, and mind with yours," Robin spoke with a voice that sang with unconditional love. It should have scared Regina, but, for once in her life, she didn't feel afraid to be happy. She didn't have to be.

Reaching into her side pocket, Regina felt the ring she'd conjured and pulled it out. She picked up his steady hands with her shaking one and slid the ring on his finger.

"Robin, with this ring I bind my body, soul, and mind with yours," she wished she'd sounded as certain as she felt, but with one look into Robin's eternally blue eyes, she knew there was nothing else. There never had been.

"Well with the power taken from me by the Roman Catholic Church, I pronounce you man and wife." Any words that were said after were nothing more than a blur to the newly weds who just melted into each other with a love more powerful than before (if that was even possible).

OoOoO

The celebration that followed couldn't have gone fast enough. They danced in the snow with the stars as their symphony and the moon as its conductor. Robin with Regina, Robin with Granny, Regina with Tuck, and Little John, and Will Scarlet, and just about every Merry Man with Ruby. But Regina couldn't help but notice the stranger who snuck from the trees for one, short dance with the young girl and guessed it was the boy she'd told Regina about earlier. Love was outshining the stars tonight.

OoOoO

With a few rushed good-byes, Robin and Regina set off on two horses toward a small cabin Robin told Regina that he had prepared for their honeymoon.

It was beautiful.

The cottage sat isolated amongst the trees, with snow falling all around and a curl of smoke flying from the chimney. It was the most picture perfect setting she'd ever seen. In burning patience, they dismounted their horses, put them in a small barn a few meters away, and walked to the front door. Robin swept her up in his arms, so she was cradled against his strong chest.

"Robin, what are you doing?" She laughed, pushing the door open.

"I do believe, dear wife, that this is tradition." If he was anymore cheesy…

Once they were through the threshold, he placed her on the ground and let her take in the interior. A large fire place heated the main room and beside it was food stacked high, ready to eat. And one door… a door she guessed that led to… She turned around to face her _husband._

"What else would you say is _tradition _on a wedding night?" She asked innocently. There was a drastic change in his eyes the moment the words left her mouth. His pupils dilated and his breathing picked-up. There was a second of interlocked eyes before they met in the middle in a bruising embrace. Before she knew how, Robin had her pinned against a wall and was lifting her up, leaving her only option to be to wrap her legs around his hips. Not that she minded.

Her tongue pushed into his mouth, and a sound balancing between a moan and a growl came deep from his throat. His fingers dug into her hips and hers pulled his shirt from his breeches. The muscles in his stomach clenched as she scratched her nails down… and relaxed as she ran her palm back up and around his back, feeling the lean muscles from years of archery. As material began to restrict her explanation, she pulled at the hem silently telling him to help her out.

They parted for not more than a second to pull the fabric over his head before meeting again. Regina reached behind her to pull open the door to the bedroom, and Robin lifted her from the wall to carry her inside. He bit down on her lip, hard, causing a whimper to escape her lips, but that only made her more aggressive and more ready to fight for her dominance. She pulled away from his lips and moved to his pulse point, biting into the skin while pushing her hips forward. He inhaled through clenched teeth and moved them forward until his knees hit the edge of the large bed. Their eyes met once more before falling into the beautiful mess of their love.

OoOoO

Red's POV

A day and a night had passed since the wedding. A night that consisted of the full moon and wolves and, very possibly, blood. But she was alive and she guaranteed Granny was right were Red had left her the night before.

"Did you get any sleep last night?" She asked Granny who was still in her rocking chair with a crossbow slung across her lap.

"I'll sleep with the trolls in the afterlife," she snarked. "I'll get the shutters; you go check if that wolf left the chickens alone."

"Yes, Granny," she sighed, but before she could leave, Granny snapped at her:

"Wear your hood!"

She placed the red cloth over her shoulders and made her way out to the chicken coop. Everything seemed as it should until there was a shift in her peripheral. Red made her way to the back corner of the small room to make sure it wasn't any threatening animal.

"I'm sorry; I can go!" A girl no older than Red jumped up from behind a small gate. She wore a beige hood with long black locks draping out from underneath, reminding Red of Regina.

"Are you stealing our eggs?" Red asked, not angry just curious.

"No!" The girl defended quickly although she was holding two in her grasp. "No a lot," she whimpered, offering them back.

"Hey, hey," Red said gently. "It — It's alright." Relief flashed across the girl's face.

"Thank you," she sighed. "It was just that… um… last night there was something out there… and it was howling… and I heard it… and I was so cold…"

"Hey," Red smiled kindly. "Come on. Come with me. Everyone calls me Red."

"I'm Sn —" she paused. "Frosty."

"Frosty," Red clarified. "Really?"

"No," she admitted. "It's just that someone's looking for me so—"

"You don't know or trust me yet," the girl looked ready to offer more explanation. "Hey, I get it. I just need something to call you." The girl smiled.

"Um… Margaret… oh,no… Mary!" She decided. "Mary."

OoOoO

Regina's POV

There was no sun to lull her from her sleep as it was still snowing outside, but the heat from the night before kept her well warm. When she tried to stretch, everything ached. Deliciously so. She reached across the bed and felt for the other life. Her _husband. _Her hand was met with the warm skin of Robin's chest. His came up to meet hers.

"Good morning," his voice heavy and his accent even more thick than usual. She pulled herself up to roll partially on top of him.

"As much as I love where we are now," she stated matter-of-factly. "If I don't get something to eat, I'm going to get grumpy." He laughed at her words but didn't make a move to get up.

"Grumpy, love?" He asked, rolling them over, so he hovered inches above her. "Well we'll just have to do something about that."

OoOoO

Snow's POV

"May you always run free beneath the moon's pale light," Red whispered into the air as the duo stood over Red's mother's grave. "Goodbye, Mother." Snow ran up behind Red and pulled her into a hug.

"I'm so sorry," Snow whispered. "I know what it's like to lose your family."

"I didn't lose my family today," Red affirmed. "I protected it." It was true. Over the week they'd spent together, the two girl's had developed a sisterly bond.

"Thank you," Snow murmured with a smile on her lips.

"My mother wanted me to choose between being a wolf and being a human. Granny did, too. You're the only person who ever thought it was okay for me to be both."

"Because that's what you are," Snow assured. "Come on. Granny said you'd be having guests tonight." The girls made their trek from the grave to the cabin.

"So who are these guests Granny was talking about?" Snow asked.

"Have you ever heard of the Merry Men?" She replied. Snow stopped in her tracks.

"Merry Men?" She inquired. "Like Robin Hood and the Merry Men?"

"Yeah, that's them. Granny's is sort of a half way point between wherever they go and their camp, so we see them quite a lot." Red explained. Snow reached into the large pocket of her hood and felt for the giant leather book she'd taken from the castle.

When they reached the cottage, it was running a muck with singing and chanting. Snow was dumbfounded. They were all here. It was like a really strange dream coming true.

"Red!" They all cheered, hugging the girl tightly. "Who's your friend?" A rather large man asked.

"I'm—"

"Snow?" A stunned voice called from behind her. She'd remember that voice anywhere. Snow turned around and was met with a sight for sore eyes.

"Regina."

**AHA! Weddings! Fluff! Wolf stuff! And we have Regina and Snow meet again! How about that?! Please leave suggestions or ideas or whatever in a review! I'll have the next chapter up ASAP! **

-The Lightning Senshi


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Rumple's POV

Dealing with these helpless royals wasn't the most pleasurable part of his job, but every once and a while he acquired something nice out of their transactions.

"It's her," Rumple stated, pointing to the lovely girl. "Or no deal."

"Get out," her atrocious father commanded while Belle's fiancé held her from the Dark One.

"As you wish," he giggled and began to walk toward the door.

"No! Wait!" Belle objected. She touched her fiancé's arm gently before approaching the Dark One. "I will go with you."

"I forbid it!" The man shouted, and her father mad a noise of disapproval.

"No one decides my fate but me," she snapped. "I shall go."

"It's forever, dearie," Rumple reminded her.

"My family? My friends? They will all live?" She asked, her voice laced with uncertainty.

"You have my word," Rumple assured, bowing slightly.

"And you have mine," her voice was monotone. "I will go with you forever."

Regina's POV

Without a second thought, Regina walked forward and wrapped her arms around the stunned Snow who, after recovering from her brief shock, responded excitedly. Regina was slightly shocked herself at her own sudden willingness to embrace the girl she once swore to destroy. But that was before Robin when she thought that love couldn't find her again. She might still feel a prick of resentment, but what was the point of letting that hate weigh her down anymore?

"What are you doing here?" Regina asked, pulling away. The question seemed to frighten Snow; she looked around at all the strangers with wide, uncertain eyes. Whatever made her run from home was clearly something she didn't want to discuss so openly. "We'll be a moment," she told the men who clearly possessed no idea as to what was going on.

Regina led Snow from the cabin and into the fields where they walked together through the white crumbs of the sky that had fallen the previous day. She didn't want to press Snow, but she could feel the urgency the matter held.

"So… the Merry Men?" Snow asked, trying to avoid the topic of her pain, but Regina saw an excited curiosity in the princess's eyes.

"Yeah," Regina grinned. "I've been an honorary Merry Man since I left the castle." Snow's eyebrows furrowed then her eyes widened.

"You're the sorceress!" Snow exclaimed with a smile, reaching into her hood and pulling out the book. "The one who showed up in the stories right after you left! You're her, aren't you?"

"You've been reading the stories?" Regina wondered. "The ones I added?"

"Everyday!" Snow smiled. "They were the only enjoyable thing I did when…" Her words faded, and the smile fell from her face.

"Snow, when what? What's wrong?" Regina asked. "Why did you run away from home?"

"Zelena," Snow said.

"Zelena?"

"My new step-mother and the new queen now that father is…" her voice cracked, and she choked back a sob. "Now that father is dead. Now that she killed him and tried to kill me. That's why I ran. She started blaming me. Telling people _I _killed Father and the maid who took the poison meant for me, and I don't know why!" Regina clutched the weeping princess and shushed her frustrated cries. She was stunned at all that had gone on since she had fled. Leopold was dead, and now the kingdom was run by a queen who had an unknown agenda against Snow.

Oh, yes, everything was making perfect sense.

A screech echoed in the night and interrupted the women's discussion. Regina looked to the sky to see the moon had been blocked out by the silhouette of a creature she had never seen. Wings spanning the stars and glaring red eyes and bared teeth and claws reaching straight out to them. They were too far from Granny's to run back now.

"Into the forest!" Regina yelled. "Run!" The two began their retreat but Snow wasn't as well off as Regina with her long dress and hood. The beast flew down to them, clutching Snow's arm. "I don't think so!" Regina cried, sending a line of red hot fire in its direction. The monster screeched and released Snow before diving toward Regina. With a burst of energy the creature was flung back but not for long.

The girls continued into the dense forest, dodging behind trees as Regina flung whatever power she found at their pursuer. When they had waited a few minutes without another attack behind a massive oak, hoping the strong smell would cover theirs, Regina signaled for Snow to say right where she was and began to come out behind the trunk, looking for any sign of danger.

A growl erupted to her left. Something had her pinned to the forest floor, screeching in her face. She felt it claw into her stomach. She felt it bite into her shoulder. A soul-crushing scream jumped from her throat. The beast fell as dead weight onto her body.

"Regina!" Snow cried, running up beside her and rolling the beast off her. The pain. It was everywhere. She felt she was made of the pain. And it would soon consume her. "Regina, Regina, it's okay. I'm here. Oh, gods, Regina, the blood… it's _everywhere_."

Snow's POV

Snow could see Regina slipping from consciousness, and she wouldn't mind that if Regina didn't slip from life completely. She breathed deeply and tried to think. Her nurse had taught her how to deal with wounds of battle with the resources only nature gave her… but now she had nothing to work with… and since night blanketed the sky she couldn't search out any supplies… despair began raking its angry claw at her stomach… at least that's what she thought until the steady flow of running water flooded her ears.

A river?

Snow didn't have a clue how to move Regina to the water without injuring her further, but without it what was she to do to help? Snow also needed to find a place to put her where she wouldn't catch frost bite from the snow she laid on.

Could she run to the river alone? Would it be safe for Regina? Did she have another choice?

Clearing as much of the white powder as she could, Snow lifted Regina carefully under her arms, drug her toward the semi-dry patch, and laid her back down before dashing off toward the river only guided by the moon's light.

OoOoO

Robin's POV

"Robin, we all want to find her, but even you couldn't track her in this snow!" Little John called, but Robin wasn't going to give up.

"My wife is missing, Little John!" He shouted back. "My _wife_! Don't you dare tell me to stop looking! You go back to Granny's. I'll be back with Regina before dawn." Little John raised his hands in surrender and moved back towards the cottage. Robin pulled a bow from his quiver, placed it in the bow, and continued his trek into the night.

OoOoO

Regina's POV

The cackling sound of a fire roused her from an unwilling slumber, but the aching pain prevented her from doing anything other than groaning.

"Regina!" A blurry voice called for her. She opened her eyes to see a concerned Snow kneeling beside her. "Are you awake?" Regina nodded, but the motion caused a heavy pain in her collarbone.

"What happened?" Her voice was cracked from a lack of water. Snow pressed an object to her lips and water began to seep into her mouth.

"We were attacked," she stated, pointing through some trees. "By that thing." Regina sat up quick enough for more pain to erupt from her stomach. She looked down and saw her entire torso was bandaged as was her shoulder with what looked to be torn pieces of Snow's hood.

"What is it?" Regina asked about the beast the appeared motionless.

"Some sort of flying monkey," Snow said. At the term 'flying monkey', Regina stiffened. Since she'd become queen four years ago, her dreams had been plagued by a beast with the body of a monkey and the wings of a dragon. It would bear down on her with red eyes of the devil until she struck it. Then the red would fade, replaced with large brown eyes of fear, eyes of a human.

In her anxiety, the pain numbed and she found the strength to jump up and run toward the beast.

"Regina!" Snow shouted. "Where are you going?" Not responding, Regina knelt beside the beast who, despite the crimson liquid staining the snow, still shook in pain. "Regina?" Snow questioned, but Regina waved her off.

The beast lifted its great head and stared at Regina. Those were the eyes. The eyes that told stories of anguish and torture. The eyes of a human. She concentrated all her strength on pushing the magic toward her hands and waved them over the monster.

In a puff of white smoke, the monkey became a shaking man dressed in some ridiculously elaborate clothing. The women jumped back and prepared to fight if necessary, but the man held his hands up.

"Please!" He cried. "Please! My name is Walsh, and you're going to want to listen to what I have to say."

**A/N: This chapter was pretty vague, but I wanted to post one more time before I go on vacation without wifi for a week. So don't stress if I don't post for a week or so but I should have a few more chapters written before I post again, so you'll get compensated for your wait! Plus I have no idea how natural medication works, so that's why there's nothing written about how Snow "healed" Regina. Thank for all the support!**

** -The Lightning Senshi**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I'M SOO SORRY! It's been too long since I last updated, but hopefully I can make it up to you with some fluffiness in this chapter.**

Chapter 12

Regina's POV

Regina and Snow had brought the man-monkey to the fire and gave him the chance to talk.

"You're telling me that my _sister _turned you into a flying monkey after finding out that you were a fake wizard and now she is working with Rumplestiltskin to cast a curse that will destroy my happy ending," She tried to sound condescending, but part of her knew he spoke the truth.

"Yes," he insisted.

"Why should we believe you?" Snow inquired. "You tried to kill us."

"I didn't have a choice!" He pleaded for understanding. "When she turned me into that beast, it wasn't about what I wanted to do anymore. Whatever she ordered is what I did not matter how much I fought against it. But you saved me, I owe you the truth, so that's what I'm giving you." Snow and Regina looked to each other, exchanging words silently.

"What do you mean when you say 'destroy my happy ending'?" The phrase sounded too similar to the words Rumplestiltskin had told her when she wanted to end Snow's life. _"When you think about it, dearie, wouldn't it be _so _much more satisfying to end her_ happy ending _instead?"_ He'd said. Now the tides had turned. She was the one about to be ruined.

"I don't know much, only bits and pieces I caught in passing. It was something about transporting everyone to this 'land without magic' and having them forget. Forget everything. I don't remember what he called it… black something…"

"The Dark Curse," Regina interrupted, feeling breathless. "They're planning on casting the Dark Curse." Every possible bad scenario scratched at her mind, most of them about losing Robin.

"Wh – How do you know abou –"

"Because _I _was supposed to be the one to cast it," Regina cut Snow off abruptly, knowing it was time to get the truth out in the open. "I was going to cast it to… to ruin your happy ending." There was an uncomfortable silence. "I was living in hell, Snow. My love was dead, I was in a loveless marriage, and I felt trapped. So I blamed you for it." She was too afraid to look at Snow, so she kept her eyes on the fire the trio currently sat around.

"What... what changed?" Snow asked, her voice shaking.

"Robin," she sighed. "After I met him, everything else, all the hate and anger, seemed pointless. And you and I started bonding more. I began to appreciate you more and the similarities you and Robin shared. I'm sorry, Snow, but everything's changed now. I'm not the same." Her hands were shaking by the end of her statement, and she felt the tears press against her eyes. In the year since meeting Robin, she had finally began to see Snow as the daughter she refused to accept her as before. She didn't want to lose that now.

When she turned to look at Snow, Regina was met with a completely different reaction than she expected. Snow's eyes, although brimmed with tears, held no trace of resentment or fear, but a renewed sense of understanding.

"You didn't give into the darkness," she smiled with something like pride. "I've been faced with the choice of evil, too, and I know the temptation it holds, but you were strong enough to defeat it then, and we'll defeat it now." The sincerity in her voice scared Regina almost as much as hearing it from Robin the first time had. She wasn't used to so many people caring for her and forgiving her for the things she'd done. But, then again, she was starting to see that everyone wasn't like her mother.

"Regina!" A thickly accented voice yelled into the darkness.

Robin.

"Robin!" Regina responded, standing quickly. A figure in the darkness came into the light to reveal her husband. They ran to each other and embraced tightly, but Regina flinched away when the pain from her wounds struck again.

"Regina," he breathed. "What happened?" Before she could begin to explain, Snow called out to her. She turned to find Snow sitting alone amongst the light of the flames, their wizard friend nowhere to be found. "What is it?"

"I'll explain everything," she promised. "But right now, could we just… go home?"

OoOoO

The two of them sat in the washroom of Granny's; she on the counter and he between her legs, consumed in a strangely romantic candlelight considering he was once again tending to her wounds. But then again, most things seemed romantic for newlyweds.

"I need to get away," her voice caught at the words. "She's going to do everything she can to hurt me, and the first thing to do is to get to you. I won't let her hur –" She was cut off by the bruising pressure of his lips silencing hers. It was clearly his favorite method to make her stop talking. Regina gripped to back of his neck in desperation, doing everything possible to bring him closer now before she had to push him away. Her legs wound around his hips, and his hands tentatively grasped her newly bandaged waist, but she realized as she arched into him and growled into mouth that they were only to push _her _away.

"Regina," he whispered. "Do you honestly think I would leave you to face this alone? Didn't I _promise _that we would face our monsters together? Do not try and back out so soon because I will _not _let you go." The fires that engulfed his eyes radiated through her blood, setting her whole body aflame. Regina knew she could make it without him, but that didn't mean in any universe that she would ever want to. This man was the reason she would fight, so what good would he be to her if not right by her side? She should've known better. "I agree; you should have know better," he chuckled. His uncanny ability to read her thoughts still amazed her. The moment she nodded in agreement, his wanting mouth met hers again. Their usual aggression had died down in the fear of losing one another. Now their tongues just danced a dance of passion together.

Regina found herself wishing they could find their way back to that small cabin where they could…

"Hey!" An angry Granny banged her fist on the other side of the door. "None of that under my roof!" The couple just laughed.

OoOoO

Rumple's POV

He watched Belle walk from the room with a secret smile on her face and couldn't suppress a small grin himself, not his usual snicker, but a genuine grin. Something about her…

"Hello, _dearie,_" A sultry voice whispered in his ear, its owner snaking her arms around his neck. He jumped away from the contact and giggled. Zelena now stood a few feet away with a look of confusion on her face. "I… I'm ready for my lesson."

"Hmmm, dearie, I don't think there's a need for a lesson today," Rumple suddenly felt very trapped between the dangerously powerful woman standing across from him and the beautiful woman who had just left his presence. And the Dark One wasn't one to feel trapped.

"What?" She questioned, the look of confusion beginning to shift to a much more _green _emotion. "What is it? _Who _is it?"

"Now, now, no need to fuss," he smiled. "I just think it would be best to… take a break from the lessons for a while. Just for a while." Zelena began to speak again, but the door opened gently as Belle returned from retrieving the afternoon's tea.

Zelena's expression would've been frightful had it been aimed at anyone other than the Dark One himself. She flicked her wrist and the door slammed shut in Belle's face.

"Take a break? Is that the best you could come up with?" The queen seethed. "Why don't we just end it now? I don't need you to ruin Regina, just as it appears you don't need me to cast your curse to find you son. Goodbye, Rumple." In a whoosh of green smoke, she was gone, leaving Rumplestiltskin feeling even more trapped than when she stood in front of him.

**A/N: So, sorry that was a pretty crappy chapter. It was written in great haste. But please review so I know I didn't lose y'all during the hiatus!**

** -The Lightning Senshi**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: So I finally got my computer back after having left it on vacation, so updates will come much more frequently! Yay! For the most part this chapter goes along with the show, but we'll be introducing more characters so we can get the full story so bear with me.**

Chapter 13

Snow's POV

Eight months had come and gone in the blink of an eye for the princess, well more bandit now than princess. Snow had thrived and flourished under the watch of Robin and Regina and the Merry Men despite the wanted posters that now displayed her face to the entire realm beside Robin. Robin had taught her how to use a bow which she now wielded more efficiently than all besides the Great King of Thieves himself, and she and Regina mended a once hopeless relationship.

But now the sun was falling on her eighteenth birthday, and it was time for her to fly.

With a small sack hung from her shoulder, her bow and quiver sat on her back, and her _Tales of Robin Hood _tucked into a large pocket, Snow whispered quick goodbyes to Regina and Robin before leaving Sherwood Forest and taking flight.

Zelena's POV

She paced around the courtyard with her long skirt swishing through the thick blades of grass.

"What do you mean you ended your training with Rumple?" he asked through gritted teeth. "I thought this is what you wanted."

_Yes, but like everything else it feels like it's been taken, _she thought.Finishing her stressed pacing, Zelena sat against the cold stone of the fountain and let her face fall into her hands. Yet another good thing to be ripped from right underneath her. He sighed and sat down beside her, resting his head against hers.

"It _is _what I want. We'll be able to be happy. You and I, we'll be able to be happy because she won't be." The thought brought a smile to the queen's lips and a brilliant idea to her mind.

"But without Rumple –" he began.

"Oh, _Henry,_" she smiled. "Don't you think I have a plan?"

Snow's POV

Although nothing could match the comfort of living as royal in a castle, there was an unmatchable beauty of living in the forest. The sun was new everyday as it trickled through the green leaves onto the floor, and the sound of rushing water from the nearby stream flooded her ears. Something told Snow that this was the life she had always wanted, the life she had always craved. And it was finally hers.

However, it was this life that made her fight to survive. And fight she would.

Snow threw her hood over her head and made her way out to the horse she had borrowed from Granny the night before.

"Ready to run, girl?" Snow asked the beautiful mare. She only snacked hungrily on the sugar Snow held in her hand in response. "I hope so."

OoOoO

The sound of a whip crack alerted Snow of her approaching target. The carriage bumped down the dirt road, white and gold rather than the queen's preferred green, but it wasn't something that grabbed Snow's attention as odd. Each escapade was just one step after another closer to safety.

One of the guards called halt to the carriage when they came to the tree she had cut. A small swarm of royal guards observed the limb, but it wasn't until a passenger of the coach took his look did it come into light that their impromptu stop had been intentional sabotage.

Snow leaped from the high branch were she had been perched and onto the car. With quick flight, she grabbed a satchel on an empty seat and ran, leaving a squealing princess behind. The sound of swords being drawn followed her as she mounted her horse and urged her into a full sprint.

For a second, Snow thought she had come away scotch free until the heavy fall of hoofs vibrated in her ears. Someone was following her. She pushed the horse forward. She couldn't be caught. Being caught would mean dying brutally by Zelena's merciless hand. Not yet.

In a sudden burst of impact, Snow was forced to the ground in a disgruntled heap.

"Show your face, you coward!" An angry voice seethed as its owner attempted to restrain her. Snow fought to remain free, but when she caught sight his face she froze for a heartbeat just as he did.

The prince.

The prince from _The Tales of Robin Hood._

It was him.

"You're a…" he stuttered. "A girl." Snow smiled when her hand found a rock.

"Woman," she breathed before ramming the piece of earth into the royal's jaw, throwing him off her. Snow jumped up and ran for her horse.

"You can't hide from me!" he yelled. "Wherever you are I will find you!" Snow turned around one last time to look at the prince, grinning for so many reasons.

OoOoO

He found her.

In a week's time, the pestering prince had her trapped in a net outside her own home. Who did he think he was?

"I told you I'd find you," he smirked. She wanted to hit him with a rock again. "Wherever you are I will always find you." She mocks him. He deflects everything, yet he doesn't make a convincing case for her to help him.

Then there was the wanted poster. Not helping him would cost him her heart. There would always be more carriages to rob. And the trolls didn't frighten her. Safe passage would just have to wait a little while longer.

She agrees. They set off on their awkward retrieval quest.

She explains her rage against the queen and her reasons for collecting money, so she and her step-mother could find refuge. He doesn't question her. In fact, he saves her when the queen's guards try to take her. With an impressive archery arm, she might add if she didn't think he'd get a big head over it. The fear of being in debt doesn't loom over her for too long, however. Because she saves him too. In more ways than one, she'll find out later.

She dubs him as 'Prince Charming', and when he corrects her, something isn't quite right in his eyes like the name 'James' doesn't quite fit. And in her eyes it doesn't, either. It was too pretentious.

They smile to each other awkwardly as they begin exchanges and good-byes. She receives a bag of gold from the endeavor, but there's something else… something about the way he looks at her when she is wearing his mother's ring tells her that she might have gotten a little more than she bargained for. Whether it was a good or bad thing was something only time would tell.

Belle's POV

It was strange. Feeling what she was feeling for such a man. But that's just what he was. A man. Not a monster like the whole of the realm said. A man who yearned for his son and with that had made some mistakes. Some large, but just mistakes all the same.

Belle smiled to herself as she continued down the path.

Love.

At the sound of a carriage approaching, Belle moved toward the trees to clear the way, but it seemed to slow down as it came closer. She glanced over her shoulder to see a large, magnificent, royal coach coated with the most emerald color and laced with intricate patterns of gold stop just behind her. The main door opened to reveal a slightly familiar looking women with golden hair and a strangely sweet smile.

"Did my carriage splash you?" she asked.

"Oh, no…" Belle stumbled over words. "I… I'm fine."

"It is awfully cramped in here," she sighed. "Why don't I walk with you for a spell?" It wasn't a normal thing for a queen to take a walk with someone of the lower class, but Belle figured she might as well go along with it.

The queen seemed rather keen to speak of Belle's love life which made the girl rather uncomfortable until the idea of breaking Rumple's curse came into the conversation.

"True Love's Kiss can break any curse," the queen smiled, and the idea of running completely flew from Belle's mind. One kiss and Rumple would be human again. Thanking the queen, Belle took her basket and ran.

Snow's POV

He found her.

Again.

In the dead of night, so she had nearly shot him straight through the heart, thinking he was a predator.

"Charming?" She whispered into the night air.

"Snow," he smiled, running towards her.

"What are you doing here?" Part of her wanted to laugh and part of her wanted run. "How did you find me?" He stopped a few feet from her, his bright blue eyes lowering to the ground, trying to find a reason.

"How's the thieving?" he grinned.

OoOoO

And he continued to find her.

Every night he would find some cheap excuse for having run from his castle chamber to her log.

It was pathetic, really. She wasn't complaining.

But it was one night after she had told him her story from the time her mother died until now…

"I'm not James," he said abruptly while pulling at some stray pieces of grass.

"What'd you do with him?" Snow asked nonchalantly, watching the stars.

"No, I mean I have never been Prince James since the first time we met," he seemed so nervous as he told her this. Snow sat up and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I know," she sighed, He looked at her with knitted eyebrows. "The first time you told me the name 'James' something didn't fit. Something wasn't right about it." They sat in silence for a moment and just absorbed each other's words. "So what is your real name, prince?"

"David," he smiled.

"That suits you much better," she sighed, leaning her forehead against his shoulder. "David," she whispered. A breath caught in the prince's throat.

"Snow," he breathed. She lifted her head to look him in the eyes, in their blazing sapphire depths. His hand came up to the back of her neck and waited for her to move next. Being cautious of her heart, Snow moved slowly towards him, David. The connection was soft and innocent, and only lasted a heartbeat. But that's all they needed.

Robin's POV

Five months had passed since Snow's departure, yet the tension in Regina's shoulder form her newly-found sister's threat still remained. She had been spending so much time on her own training her magic that Robin felt as if she was pushing him away for a reason he was still in the dark on.

As night draped a hand over Sherwood, Regina still hadn't found her way home. Robin informed Tuck he would be returning shortly and made his way out of the security of his home.

It didn't take long for Robin to find his wife but not exactly in the state he wished to.

Regina had her back against a tree with her face to the sky, her hand fisted against her stomach, and tears falling from her cheeks.

"Regina!" Robin yelled, running to his wife. "Regina, what's happened?" It took her a moment to regain words.

"Robin, I…I'm pregnant."

**A/N: So this was more of a Snowing, but I adore their story also, so they're going to have their parts too. Updates should be coming more frequently now so keep an eye out!**

** -The Lightning Senshi**


	14. Author's Note

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Just to clarify, Henry is an original character who is the only one who has ever been there for Zelena. His role and importance will come in later.**

**And I'm sorry if you don't like Snowing, but their story is pretty vital to the entirety of the show and this story. So they will continue to be major characters, and if that doesn't fit your taste you can skip their parts which probably will be few and far between if that's any consolation **

**-The Lightning Senshi**


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